ESPN Confederations Cup analyst Roberto Martinez multitasks as he preps for his new Everton FC coaching gig
Barely four weeks since leading Wigan Athletic FC to an improbable FA Cup victory over Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, and less than two weeks after being named the new manager of Everton FC – one of the English Premier League’s legendary clubs — Roberto Martinez joined ESPN as a studio analyst for the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013. This month’s tournament is the third straight major international soccer event that Martinez is working for ESPN.
“Roberto represents one of the benchmarks in our commitment to present marquee soccer events: authenticity,” says Jed Drake, ESPN senior vice president and executive producer. “He is a tactician, and he is adept at communicating the nuances of the game to our viewers. He is also a great teammate to the members of our group.”
Martinez debuted on ESPN during the award-winning presentation of 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and he returned for the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship last summer. His insight on match tactics and team tendencies have earned him critical acclaim among fans.
Martinez, who is featured in the video above, credits the chemistry and camaraderie he shares with his ESPN teammates as a big reason for returning to soccer studio work with the company.
He also admits that his analyst role during South Africa 2010 presented an added advantage with regards to his role as a manager. He was able to scout in-person Paraguay’s Antolín Alcaraz and Chile’s Jean Beausejour, who both ended up playing for him at Wigan.
Editor’s Note: Today at 2:30 ET on ESPN, Martinez will provide studio analysis for the FIFA Confederations Cup semifinal between Italy and Spain, a rematch of last summer’s Euro 2012 Final. Tournament coverage continues through Sunday with the Third-Place Match (Uruguay vs. Italy/Spain loser) at 11:45 a.m. ET on ESPN2 and the Championship (Brazil vs. Italy/Spain winner) at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN. Through the group stage, ESPN’s Confederations Cup audience is up significantly versus 2009.
Video produced by Dave Williams and Tonya Malinowski
