Has Roberto Martinez Already Made A Mistake With Champions League Promise?

The writing was pretty much on the wall two weeks ago, but it became official earlier this week that former Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez would take on the challenge of replacing David Moyes at Everton. Martinez started his time off as Everton manager with a bang promising that his side would seriously challenge for a Champions League place. Has the 39-year old made an early mistake in his new higher profile position?

The touting of Martinez's talents has always exceeded his on-field achievements, at least before Wigan won the FA Cup this spring. He finished 16th, 16th and 15th in his first three seasons before finishing 18th and getting relegated last season.

Expecting more would probably be harsh considering the budget constraints that Martinez has had to deal with. Injuries played a major role in the struggles of the team this season. Martinez also brought the FA Cup to the club for the first time in its history.

He was committed to an exciting and pure brand of football. Wigan played attractive football even as they got relegated. That style sets them apart from the majority of teams playing in the English Premier League's lower half.

However, ultimately Martinez's results are not exceptional. He has done enough to suggest he can be a successful manager in the EPL, but assuming that he can guide Everton to the Champions League based on his performance to date seems far-fetched.

Martinez also faces a tremendous challenge trying to replace David Moyes. The Scot asserted himself as a figure of absolute stability at the club and coached a different brand of football compared with the incoming manager. Moyes exceeded all expectations with Everton establishing the club as a regular in the top flight and even leading them to the Champions League one season.

Everton has significantly more wealth than Wigan, but they won't tolerate a bottom half finish after the standards set by Moyes. Martinez has a great opportunity to prove himself at Everton and to enjoy success. However, in a league where Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool all wield significantly higher spending power, finishing in the top four is no easy task. Perhaps Martinez would be better served establishing himself and getting the feel for his current situation before making huge promises.