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This article is about Roberto Martinez, the current manager of Wigan Athletic FC and former professional footballer. For other people, see Roberto Martinez (disambiguation).
This is a Spanish name; the first family name is Martínez and the second is Gutiérrez

Roberto Martínez Gutiérrez (born 13 July 1973) is a Spanish former professional footballer and is currently manager of Wigan Athletic.

[edit] Playing career

Born in Balaguer, Martínez began his career at his home-town club CF Balaguer in the Spanish Third Division^{[citation needed]} before moving to Real Zaragoza in La Liga where he made his senior debut.^{[citation needed]} He was offered the chance to move to England by Dave Whelan, chairman of Wigan Athletic and he signed on a free transfer on 25 July 1995, joining fellow Spaniards Jesús Seba and Isidro Díaz. Martínez spent six seasons at Wigan, making 180 appearances for the club, with a further 47 as substitute, scoring 23 goals.

Released on a free transfer, Martínez signed for Scottish club Motherwell in July 2001 but made only eight appearances, plus eight more as substitute, before moving back to England to join Walsall on a free transfer in August 2002. Again, he did not feature regularly, starting just one game for Walsall and making five substitute appearances - though still managing to get sent off twice during his short spell in the First Division.

In January 2003, Martínez joined Swansea City on a short term contract until the end of the season, becoming the captain and helping to preserve the club's Football League status on the last day of the season. In June 2003, Martínez made a permanent move to the Welsh club. He formed an important part of the team from 2003–06, making 122 league appearances and captaining them to League Two promotion in 2005. By the end of 2005-06 season, he had made 111 appearances for Swansea City, with a further eleven as substitute, and had scored four goals. In May 2006, Martinez was released on a free transfer.

Martínez joined Chester City on a free transfer, signing a two year contract. In February 2007 he returned to Swansea City as manager.^[1]

[edit] Managerial career

[edit] Swansea City

Martínez won manager of the month for October 2007 by leading his team to four wins in four in the league including a 5–0 win and a 4–1 win over Leyton Orient and Bournemouth away from home.^[2] Then won it again in December after a thrilling 3–2 win over Leeds at the Liberty Stadium. Martínez won his second and third consecutive manager of the months in January after a second 4–0 win away from home this season, against Doncaster. He was also nominated for the February prize but lost out to John Ward manager of Carlisle United. In May 2008, Martínez was awarded the League Managers Association's manager of the year award for League One after leading Swansea City to the title.^[3]

The 2008–09 season saw Martínez preside over Swansea's first game in England's second tier division in 24 years and it began poorly with a 2–0 defeat away at Charlton. Since then, Swansea's form improved, losing only 4 games out of the next 30. By January 2009, the team had scored a number of key league victories against opponents such as Reading and Wolves. Martínez also took the team to a 2–0 win against Premier League side and the defending cup holders Portsmouth in the FA Cup.^[4]

Throughout his time at Swansea, Martinez often stated that he would only leave "Swansea as manager if he was forced out”. As his success grew, he criticised players that left the club for money or larger clubs.

In June, both Celtic and Wigan Athletic asked Swansea for permission to speak with Martínez regarding new managerial positions at the clubs, with Wigan being giving the opportunity to hold talks with Martínez.^[5][6][7] After several days of negotiations Martínez was confirmed as the new manager of Wigan, taking four backroom staff with him.^[8] Martinez signed a three-year contract worth £1.5million and was assured by Wigan owner Dave Whelan that his job would be safe for the next 3 years, even if the club suffer relegation.^[9]

[edit] Wigan Athletic

His move to Wigan was not without controversy, and had some Swansea fans up in arms about they way he left. Fans were upset after comments that he would have to be "forced out" to leave Swansea, yet went quite freely^[10]. Also he vowed not to raid his former squad, then signed Jason Scotland, and Jordi Gómez, as well as a bid for Ferrie Bodde^[11], which was ultimately rejected. He has also been linked with moves for Swans defenders Ashley Williams^[12], and Angel Rangel.^[13] This has left some Swans fans to label him Judas, and in some circles is rated below Sam Hammam as the most hated man in Swansea.^[14]

Despite this, his first league game as Wigan manager Martinez led the team to a win at Villa park on 15 August 2009, the first time Wigan have won an opening game in the top flight. However, in his first home game, his team slumped to a 1-0 defeat to newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers, and a 5-0 defeat against Manchester United, despite being 0-0 at half time. However, Martinez masterminded a wins over West Ham and then produced a sensational result over Chelsea. Both games were won at the DW Stadium.

On November 22, 2009 Martinez oversaw a 9–1 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs striker Jermain Defoe scoring 5 of the 9 goals in the match. It was the first since Manchester United beat Ipswich Town 9–0 in 1995 that a Premier League side had scored nine goals in a single match.^[15]

[edit] Personal life

On 26 June 2009, Martinez married his Scottish girlfriend Beth Thompson at Cathedral Church of Saint Joseph in Swansea.

The couple met in Scotland in 2001, while he was playing for Motherwell.

[edit] Managerial stats

As of 5 December 2009.

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				P	W	D	L	Win %
Swansea City		25 February 2007	15 June 2009	&0000000000000125.000000125	&0000000000000063.00000063	&0000000000000037.00000037	&0000000000000025.00000025	&0000000000000050.40000050.40
Wigan Athletic		15 June 2009	Present	&0000000000000016.00000016	&0000000000000005.0000005	&0000000000000002.0000002	&0000000000000009.0000009	&0000000000000031.25000031.25
Total				&0000000000000141.000000141	&0000000000000068.00000068	&0000000000000039.00000039	&0000000000000033.00000033	&0000000000000048.23000048.23

[edit] Honours

[edit] As a player

• Football League Third Division champions: 1
  

1996/1997 (with Wigan Athletic)

Football League Trophy

• Winners 2006 (with Swansea City)
• Winners 1999 (with Wigan Athletic)

[edit] As a manager

League One

• Champions - 2007–08 (with Swansea City)

[edit] References

10. Quote: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2009/06/08/roberto-martinez-could-not-turn-down-premier-lure-91466-23811164/

[edit] External links

• Roberto Martínez career stats at Soccerbase
• Roberto Martínez management career stats at Soccerbase
• http://www.lfp.es/?tabid=113&Controltype=fju&cj=5888&d=1
• http://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/roberto-martinez/