Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SMART-INEZ
Emiliano: When I left Arsenal for Villa, people were all saying I was taking a step down.. but I saw it as a step UP
EMILIANO MARTINEZ insists he made a step up in his career when he left Arsenal for Aston Villa.
Martinez has been a revelation since j oining Villa in a £20million switch and his new club are now dreaming of Europe.
Vi l l a are si xth , three points off the top and with a game in hand on leaders Leicester, while Arsenal are in the bottom half of the table after a 3-0 thumping by Villa at the Emirates.
Martinez’s decision to force a move in the summer now looks a wise choice, with the clubs moving in opposite directions.
He said: “They were all saying it was a step down in my career, but I always said it was a step up.
“I came to Villa because I trusted the manager and the club’s ambitions.
“I knew how big
Villa are. I said on day one that my ambition was to be in Europe with Villa.
“Can it be done this season? Yes, but we have to work for it.”
Martinez, 28, was something of a cult hero with Arsenal fans after getting his chance when first choice
Bernd Leno was injured at Brighton in just the second game of Project Restart.
Many thought the club should have kept him and sold Leno when it became clear Mikel Arteta (below) could not keep both happy.
Speaking for the first time about the emotional decision to l e av e the Emirates, Martinez said: “I told Mikel I wanted to play week in, week out, but he could not guarantee who was going to start.
“Even before the Community Shield he did not know who was going to play. I just wanted firstteam football and Arsenal could not guarantee that. “So I texted him to say I was going to Aston Villa, so please help me and let me go. He was very honest with me. He helped me leave the club after so many years. I have already said how grateful I am for that.”
Martinez became a hot property when it became clear the 6ft 5in keeper could be on the move.
But there was never any hesitation in the Argentine’s mind after hearing Villa boss Dean Smith’s vision for the club.
Martinez said: “I knew the club’s ambitions and the manager’s ambitions.
“What I like about this team is how we reacted after two defeats – it’s not easy to react like that away from home against Arsenal.
“We always say how good a young team we are.
“We’ve got so much talent. We want to give the players a structure from the back.
“We need to give them clean sheets, because they are so good going forward.
“But it’s not just the attacking guys but the defensive ones as well – the way they play and show commitment.”