Everton confirmed the departure of manager Roberto Martinez with immediate effect on Thursday.
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Roberto has been a great ambassador, conducting himself at all times with the utmost integrity and dignity.
Despite reaching both domestic cup semi-finals, lack lustre defeats against Merseyside rivals Liverpool, Leicester and Sunderland really highlighted the problems on the pitch at Goodison Park.
He was appointed as David Moyes’ successor in June 2013 and guided Everton to their best Premier League points tally – 72 – and a fifth-place finish in his first season in charge.
Other names in the frame include Stoke boss Mark Hughes, outgoing Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini and former manager David Moyes, who was at Goodison Park for ten years before he moved to Manchester United.
Another protest is planned to go ahead on Thursday night outside St George’s Hall, where Everton will be holding their end-of-season awards dinner.
It follows the sacking of manager Roberto Martinez in the wake of Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat at Sunderland.
Roberto Martinez, alone, downcast, arms tightly-crossed, his default position as Everton’s season unravelled.
Former Netherlands defender Frank de Boer is favourite to replace Martinez, according to several British bookmakers, after he left Ajax earlier in the day.
Martinez, who had three seasons left on a five-year deal, did not report to the club’s training base yesterday morning and that signalled the end was coming.
With the club’s supporters also turning on the manager, Bill Kenwright, the Everton chairman, and Farhad Moshiri, the majority shareholder, have made the decision to put Martinez out of his misery.
He leaves the club in 12th – having won just 10 games this season.
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The Spaniard was spared the indignity of remaining a sitting duck for Everton’s final game of the season when they host the already relegated Norwich on Sunday.
