Exclusive: Everton FC's Roberto Martinez says striker Romelu Lukaku can deal with expectations despite not being at his best so far
Blue forward not fit yet but is desperate to recapture top form, insists boss
Steven Naismith and Romelu Lukaku look dejected after Manchester United score at Old Trafford
Romelu Lukaku can cope with the expectations on him to fire Everton FC to success despite not being at his best yet this season, says Roberto Martinez.
The Blues £28m transfer record signing has had an indifferent start to the campaign due to a combination of injury and lack of match fitness according to his manager.
Martinez insists the 21-year-old is desperate to recapture his top form, and has proved he is willing to put the team before himself by playing while not 100%.
He said: “Rom is not someone who looks for an excuse. He understands that the potential he has as a footballer will always bring huge expectations.
“He embraces that.
“The situation we have is that he was unable to get a full pre-season after the World Cup and the knock he had so early in the season meant we couldn’t allow him to have a proper introduction into work.
“He had to get himself fit by playing games and now we’re paying for that.
“We all need to understand that he is still doing a good job for the side and he will get to a position where he is 100% fit and he will be able to enjoy his football.
“At the moment he can’t enjoy it and he can’t be the player that we all know he can be but that doesn’t effect him too much because he’s a responsible guy.
“He’s got an incredible desire to be successful for the team.
“Rom knows what he has to do off the ball and takes things onboard well. He’s just not 100%.
"It’s incredible because many players might say: “I can’t see myself playing or being able to help the team right now” but he is the opposite.
“He wants to be there and in a way to embrace the fact that even though he isn’t fit he wants to help. I value and admire that. I know that the fans will see that as well.”
Martinez admitted Lukaku will benefit from the imminent return of injured team-mate Ross Barkley, with whom he struck up an impressive rapport last season.
And he reckons ultimately the Belgium striker will improve on the performance levels he reached in the 2013/14 campaign, when he scored 15 goals in the Premier League.
“For Ross that responsibility always comes on top,” he said. “I still believe we will see a better Romelu Lukaku than we saw last season.
“He developed a really good understanding with Ross, someone who can drive forward with the ball and open up space for the strikers.
“He needs to be patient though. He wants to get there very quickly but we need to give him the right time.”
The summer’s World Cup has taken a toll on a host of players who took part, and Martinez reiterated that Everton are still feeling the effects due to the volume of internationals in the squad.
“There are a few players who have been at the World Cup who haven’t been able to hit top form yet. That’s normal,” he said.
“The first third of the competition when you get back from a World Cup is a testing period.
“Some players come back with too much work and need to slow it down, with others it is the opposite.
“It’s very rare to have a player come back from it and be perfectly fit.
“The season can become too long.”
Source: Greg O'keefe / Echo
