Absolutely nobody could have seen that one coming.
Just a few months after being sacked by Everton, Roberto Martinez has been appointed as the new head coach of the Belgium national team.
The 43-year-old Spaniard spent three years at Goodison Park, but was relieved of his duties in May after successive bottom-half finishes for the Toffees.
The former Swansea and Wigan Athletic manager will inherit one of the most talented squads in world football, but it’s a squad that has consistently underachieved on the big stage.
Our new head coach: Roberto MartÃnez ! #welcomeRoberto #tousensemble pic.twitter.com/3JiQYAeYI1
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) August 3, 2016
Marc Wilmots was given his marching orders after the Red Devils were beaten convincingly by Chris Coleman’s Wales in the Euro 2016 quarter-final, signalling another trophyless tournament for the so-called “Golden Generation”.
There’s no denying that Martinez has had some highs in Premier League management: he won the FA Cup with Wigan and at times his teams have all produced exciting, attacking football.
But it’s his defensive organisation that has come in for consistent criticism, and by the end of his Everton reign the fans had turned against him.
With Belgium Martinez could manage a number of his former charges, including Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku and the currently uninvolved Kevin Mirallas. In Eden Hazard he also has one of the best attacking players in the game.
It’s fair to say that the news has left a lot of people on social media scratching their heads.
https://twitter.com/ChelseaFansYT/status/760941292893462528
Lukaku thought he had escaped Martinez 😂 Think again, son.
— Coral (@Coral) August 3, 2016
@grandoldteam someone at the Belgium FA has definitely got a sense of humor
— Stuart Mclachlan (@weestu75) August 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/garethd001/status/760935233441136645
https://twitter.com/alexwhite65896/status/760933970905268224
Roberto Martinez to Belgium news has just reached Lukaku.https://t.co/trgqgzD03u
— BoyleSports (@BoyleSports) August 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/StanCollymore/status/760933708799049728
Martinez to Belgium? Jamie Vardy murdering a dog is now only the days second weirdest story.
— GeorgeWeahsCousin (@WeahsCousin) August 3, 2016
Martinez' appointment as Belgium head coach proves the fact he's the best blagger in world football
— Colin Foster (@colin769) August 3, 2016
