Ross the boss
ROBERTO: I’LL BUILD MY EVERTON AROUND HUMBLE WONDERKID
ROBERTO MARTINEZ last night revealed he plans to build his Everton team around squeaky-clean England star Ross Barkley.
When it comes to the fame game it’s Mum’s the Word for Goodison star Barkley, who has just penned a bumper four-year deal to keep him f r om t he clutches of Manchester clubs City and United.
While most Premier League bosses scanned Jack Wilshere’s Las Vegas smoking snaps and Ravel Morrison’s court appearance wondering what their own young stars were getting up to this summer, Toffees chief Martinez knew Barkley was in good hands.
The 20-year-old midfielder, who figured in all three of England’s World Cup games in Brazil, still lives at home with his mum Diane.
And his stable family life is ensuring the youngster is staying grounded in the best possible way.
Balance
Despite Barkley agreeing a fat new weekly pay packet the Everton boss has no worries Goodison’s new Wayne Rooney will make the wrong career choices like Wilshere and a host of other young stars.
Martinez said: “Ross lives at home with his mum at the moment but he has a good balance in his life. He loves playing football and being at home too.
“He has an incredible balancebl to hi his lifelif butb I am sure that will be tested in the next few years and we have to make sure that we are all around him to help whenever that is needed.
“But I have never seen a young man with things so clear in his mind, so humble and someone who won’t have his head turned by fame.
“Why he is special above all the other youngsters that I’ve worked with is that he has a humble way about him which everyone saw in the press conference to announce his new deal.
Pristine
“It would have been a great opportunity for him to show off but he didn’t do that. He’s just a down to earth boy who lives the game.
“His lifestyle is pristine. He lives for the game and his family and wants to learn. When you have t hat personality you can build a team around him.”
Martinez was dismayed with the pictures of Wilshere partying in Vegas puffing on a cigarette, surrounded by so-called pals.
He added: “It’s a problem we have in the modern game and society in general, so it i s really important to make sure that we are there for him when he needs support and guidance – we must commit ourselves to do that.
“But I see Ross working every day and he is different to that. He didn’t come back from the World Cup in Brazil with a swagger when he might have done. He came back from the World Cup and was working even harder than before he left.”
Martinez believes the youngster could one day emulate the greatness of Everton’s Holy Trinity – Alan Ball, Colin Harvey and Howard Kendall.
But could he become Mr Everton in the same way that Steven Gerrard is Mr Liverpool?
The boss added: “You don’t know. It’s hard to predict that. Sometimes you have to be realistic and just be happy for today.
“Today we have a young man who is one of the best talents in English football who has committed his future to Everton.”