Martinez’s View On Being Released

After Adrian Forbes showed his anger and frustration about not getting a new contract, Roberto Martinez is next to talk to the Western Mail about not being kept on by Kenny Jackett.

The Spanish midfielder tells his side of the story in a different manner, as you’d expect from our former club captain.

He was told 3 times during the season, his contract would be extended, just like Forbes was also told he’d get a new deal in the Summer.

The 32 year old began the season in the starting line-up but it became more obvious later on in the season that he’d be leaving in the Summer. Jackett started to leave him out of the whole 16-man squad in the last few months of the season, and he wasn’t included in the last few games leading up to the Play-off Final.

Martinez said:

‘Whether I was expecting it or not, it was always going to be very hard for me to leave a club like Swansea,’

‘I fell in love with the club and the supporters, played in many matches I will never forget, and now I’d just like to say a big thank-you to everyone who has e-mailed me and sent messages wishing me good luck.

‘The only disappointing thing to reflect on is the gaffer told me three times during the season that I would be offered a new contract this summer.

‘He said he didn’t know what the terms would be, but that there was definitely going to be an offer whether or not we won promotion.

‘This was despite saying to me about 12 months ago that I wouldn’t play much last season and that he’d help me to get away if that was what I wanted.

‘But I did not want to walk away from Swansea. I felt the club needed me and that I still had a lot to offer the team.

‘Given what the gaffer had said in the summer, it was a little bit strange that I went on to play in 39 league games.

‘After the Football League Trophy match against Peterborough in December, he said that he knew we’d had our differences in terms of selection, but that I’d been a huge part of Swansea’s success and would definitely be offered something in the summer.

‘And he said the same thing to me after the FAW Premier Cup game at Wrexham a couple of months ago.

‘I’ve never been in that kind of situation before – where a manager looks you in the eye and says something so definite and then changes his position at the end of the season.’

‘It’s a strange scenario. The gaffer said he was happy with everything I’d done, but that he was letting me go for financial reasons.

‘I said that was impossible. You go for financial reasons when you’re offered one thing, you want something better and you can’t agree on it.

‘But there was no offer. There was nothing to negotiate on.’

‘The problem is that Kenny Jackett and I have very different ways of looking at how football should be played.

‘My game is based on taking possession and patiently keeping hold of the ball, perhaps moving sideways to find an angle for a pass.

‘OK, maybe that style did not suit the old Vetch Field pitch, but it was a big part of our success on the bigger Liberty Stadium pitch in the first half of last season.

‘Kenny looks at the game very differently (arguably based more on stealing possession and getting the ball forward quickly).

‘That’s fine – football is all about opinions.

‘But when Kenny sits down in his office to work out what’s going wrong, the first thing he looks at is me and my style of football.

‘When you’re trying to build a strong side, you don’t want 11 players who all do the same thing. You need a balance.

‘And it was disappointing to be left out of the play-off games. I thought I could have offered something different, even if it was as a sub.

‘You look all over the world and you’ll struggle to find a player who plays 39 league games and then finds himself left out of the 16 altogether.

‘I feel he was trying to make a point – almost that he was looking ahead to next season, and paving the way for me to go.’

‘Swansea might have lost a player, but they’ve gained a huge fan,’

‘I have such fantastic memories – the Rochdale and Hull games that saw the club avoid relegation from the league and, of course, the promotion from League Two.

‘Again, I’d just like to thank the fans for the magnificent support they’ve given me.

‘And, with the talent there is in Swansea’s squad, I am really confident they will be celebrating promotion to the Championship this time next year.’

He played a vital role in his first season with us as we battled against relegation from the whole Football League and I’m sure the influence he brought to the team from the day he signed will be remembered by the fans.

He’s grown to love this club and he’s mentioned it numerous times before. It’s just a shame he’s been treated badly at the end of his 3-year spell with us.

We wish him all the best.