Martinez confesses 'Cyprus is vital' for Red Devils’ chances

Martinez confesses 'Cyprus is vital' for Red Devils’ chances
Red Devils prepare for their crucial match tomorrow night.

The new coach for the Red Devils Roberto Martinez has lost neither his smile, spirit, or his will to impose a new style upon the Belgian team. This comes after Thursday night’s train crash against Spain in a friendly in the King Baudouin Stadium, with the final score of 0-2.

“He was very direct as soon as we returned to the changing room,” Romelu Lukaku said on Saturday at midday, in the interview room in the Neerpede the sports complex in Anderlecht, where the Spaniard was also then expected.”

Lukaku went on,“Everyone now knows what to expect. Briefly, all individuals have to work as a team and not play their individual match in their corner. Moreover, if we do not, there are other players who are equally ready and capable to take up the baton waiting in the wings.”

Upon arriving in the room, Martinez said, “Spain is already forgotten!”

Defending his team, he said, “I have noted and picked over data gathered from the match against La Roja. This match had to serve, above all, as means to take stock of our position. Our priority now is Tuesday evenings fight at 8.45 p.m. against Cyprus in the Stadium Nicosia  (this is the first match of the Group H qualifying stages for the European region in the 2018 World Cup, editors note). It is vital, important, capital and any other superlatives you care to call to mind.”

He said, “Right now, I feel that I am being pulled in two directions. On the one hand, I need to put in place new style that I want to bring to bear on the team. On the other hand, I want to see instant results. Therefore it is necessary to find a compromise…”

Martinez pursued, “The players are very aware of the high stakes but also of the public’s demands. The public have made their dissatisfaction clear and now we have to win them back. Indeed we need them.”

Full of enthusiasm, he stated, “The heat is on but so is the obligation to win. Yet this will not be easy. I watched last year’s match where, without Eden Hazard’s achievement in the 86th minute, we were definitely never going to win (final score 0-1, editor’s note).”

He concluded, “Fortunately the news on Marouane (Fellaini) and Thomas (Vermaelen) is excellent. In principal, I can count upon them, and also on Romelu (Lukaku), even though he is not a hundred per cent. Given his size, his current health condition is normal, but I feel that he is, all the same, capable of fulfilling his role.”

The Brussels Times


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