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Martinez: Leicester have not changed English football

SoccerNews in General Soccer News 5 May 2016

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Everton manager Roberto Martinez is not convinced that Leicester City’s Premier League title triumph will herald a new era in English football.

The Spaniard, who is under extreme pressure to keep his job at Goodison Park, said the unlikely triumph did not mean the end of long-term dominance from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal.

“It won’t change the face of English football,” Martinez said ahead of his side’s clash with the new champions.

“I don’t think they’ve shown the rest up, not really, no.

“How many cases have there been like it in the 24 years of the Premier League’s history?”

In 1995, Blackburn Rovers looked like the club to usurp the dominance of United in the new Premier League era, but have since been relegated to the Championship.

City spent millions to upset the established order when they won their first of the Premier League era in 2012.

But while Martinez admitted Leicester’s triumph stands alone due to the cheaply assembled squad used in their Premier League victory, he said the win was the exception, not the rule.

“You analyse all the teams that have been successful. Every team that wins the league, you expect them to do well in the cups as well,” he said.

“You expect them to do well in Europe and have 23, 24 players. It is a fairytale but I think it is the exception.

“It has been incredible to see them play with that tempo and intensity for 10 months with the same group of players – it has been fantastic to watch.

“It is a great fairytale story and everyone will congratulate their achievement.

“Everyone will follow what they can do in the Champions League because it is a phenomenal story. If they can play with the same intensity, tempo and the same goalscoring threat, they should be able to challenge against anyone.

“I was thinking who could you compare it with – Nottingham Forest under Brian Clough? You are not going to find another example in the modern game. Greece in the European Championship? That is only a short period and not something over 10 months.”

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