Welcome return in starting midfield
Contrite, determined Martinez back after 1-game suspension
When the Dynamo gathered for preseason training in January, every player dreamed of being in the starting 11 for opening day.
All but one, anyway. Tomas Martinez knew he would be watching from the stands.
An angry moment in the second half of the Dynamo’s playoff finale last season led to Martinez being sent off. By rule, he had to miss the team’s next game, which was this year’s season opener.
“Yes, I know I made an error in the last game against Seattle, but I know it won’t happen again,” The central attacking midfielder said through a translator. “I learned from it and will continue to grow as we move forward.”
That means the Dynamo will have the hungriest player on the field Saturday when they host the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Alberth Elis provides dynamism on the right side of the field; Martinez will be tasked with making the difference in the
middle of the park.
The Argentine designated player arrived from Portugal last summer and was given time to adapt to the new league. Now that he has his feet wet in Major League Soccer, the Dynamo view him as one of their most important players in the attack.
“We hope that he brings his mentality, his technique, his passing, his work and ideas on the field,” coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “He has great personality despite him being short and young. He’s always asking for the ball.”
It is why the Dynamo signed him. It is why they gave him the No. 10 jersey this season. Luckily for them, this is not the first time he has been given such a big role.
Martinez wore No. 10 for Argentina during the 2015 South American under-20 championships and all three matches at the 2015 U-20 World Cup in New Zealand. He continued to wear it when he transferred to Portugal’s Sporting Braga.
During the preseason, Martinez said he is honored to wear No. 10 and he plans to make as big an impact as is being asked of him. He is confident after preparing well during the preseason.
“Every time a season starts, you are motivated,” he said. “We have a long season, and you have to put a lot of hard work to keep yourself motivated.
“You have to be concentrated, and most importantly for us, it is not about how we start, but how we finish the season.”