Roberto Martinez, Head Coach of Belgium, during the official FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 portrait session on November 19, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.

‘There were a lot of talks’: Roberto Martinez reveals he came close to managing Liverpool in 2012

June 9, 2023 Sports 14 Views

Roberto Martinez is currently the manager of the Portugal national team, having spent time in charge of Belgium, Wigan and Everton in the past decade.

However, the Spaniard reveals to FourFourTwo he nearly took over at Everton’s Merseyside rivals a year before he joined the Toffees in 2013, with Liverpool looking for a replacement for the recently-sacked Kenny Dalglish.

“There were a lot of talks at the end of every season at Wigan and, in 2012, there were some conversations with Liverpool,” Martinez tells FFT.

“From the beginning, myself and Dave Whelan had always spoken about a four-year plan, and we both believed we had to stick together and see the job through. Even if there were conversations with Liverpool, it was never going to happen.”

Instead, Liverpool appointed Brendan Rodgers as their new manager, another former Swansea City boss. His time in charge worked out well, developing the side into Premier League title challengers in the 2013/14 season before Jurgen Klopp progressed the Reds even further.

Martinez’s career, meanwhile, went down a different route. An extra season culminated in arguably the most bitter sweet moment he’s ever experienced – winning the FA Cup against Manchester City and being relegated from the Premier League just days later.

A move to Everton swiftly followed, before the Belgium job came calling after three years at Goodison – though not before he was spotted dancing at a Jason Derulo concert in Manchester in 2016.

The 49-year-old discusses going viral with his dance moves that day.

“It’s quite generous to call that dancing! I’m not sure I’d call it dancing.

“It was a couple of shapes. We had a bit of fun in the dressing room once that video emerged. I’m not sure the players thought I was capable of those moves. I think it was small car, big bus…”