Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LET US SPRAY
Martinez pays tribute to Southgate’s Three Lions revolution: ‘The transition game is unique; for me they’re a really good group with a team mentality’
ROBERTO MARTINEZ has hailed the “huge evolution” undergone by England that has turned Gareth Southgate’s squad into World Cup contenders.
Martinez, who managed in the Premier League with Wigan and Everton before taking the Belgium job, believes the Three Lions finally have a side capable of making a major impact on a major tournament.
With an average age of 25, Southgate’s men have played a fearless brand of football in Russia, liberated by the exuberance of youth and unburdened by past failures.
Allied to that, according to Belgium boss Martinez, is a technical and tactical sophistication England have developed to allow them to compete with the world’s best.
“I think it’s been a huge evolution,” said Martinez, (above) whose side face England tomorrow to decide the winners of Group G. “When I started in the Premier League, in 2009, it was a real contrast in styles in the league.
“But I think the English players have developed an incredible awareness from a tactical point of view.
“That’s been the biggest difference in the last five or six years, having St George’s Park and a real structure in the way England teams play.
“You’ve seen the success with the Under-17 teams and the Under-20s, and the way
there is a winning culture. I would say, in the last six years, English players have now got that intensity and pace, but with a real tactical awareness, that is brought about by the way teams play in the Premier League.
“The entertaining factor with the Premier League is what happens as soon as you lose the ball and as soon as you regain possession. The transition game is something unique in England.”
Martinez believes playing in England – with half of his World Cup squad plying their trade there – has been a major factor in Belgium’s rise to third in FIFA’S world rankings.
“We knew how technically gifted our own players were,” he added. “But having to work under those high-intensity ways of playing in the Premier League made our players think quicker, make stronger decisions and be sharper technically.”
Tottenham and Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld echoed Martinez and hailed England’s collective spirit, mentality and desire to play for their country as their biggest strengths. “For me, they’re a really good group, with a team mentality,” he said.
“They have young players who are really proud to play for England and I think you can see that on the pitch.
“They have a good idea how they want to play. They have a very good manager. There is a new, good vibe going on there.” Few players embody that youthful vigour more than Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard, who scored a wonder strike against Panama and has emerged as a key man for England.
Marouane
Fellaini, Lingard’s
United team-mate, acknowledged the progress made by the 25-year-old, and said it was no surprise to see him excelling on the world stage. “He’s a very clever player on the pitch and we saw that against Panama,” said Fellaini. “He’s done well for the past few years, that’s why he plays for Manchester United, and he has to continue like that. “Everybody knows he’s a good player who can score goals.
“His technical ability is good and, on the pitch, his positioning is clever, so we’ll have to be careful. “He’s a great person, a great character. He loves to laugh and joke, which is also important in the group.”