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Baines confident of Martinez success at Everton

Leighton Baines was strongly rumoured to be leaving Everton © PA Photos

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Everton defender Leighton Baines is eager to start working under new manager Roberto Martinez and is confident that the Spaniard will prove to be a success at Goodison Park.

Baines was strongly rumoured to be following former Toffees boss David Moyes out of the door to Old Trafford after the Scot was appointed Manchester United boss.

However, the England international says he is looking forward to another season as an Everton player and learning a new style of play from Martinez.

"He was one of the first names linked with the job and the feeling straight away was he would be a great appointment,'' Baines said. "He has a different style to what we have been used to but I think it is progressive and it will move us forward. It is also exciting for the players to be able to try that now. The style in general appeals to a lot of people."

While Martinez guided Wigan to the FA Cup last season, his side were criticised for their inconsistency, which ultimately cost them their place in the Premier League.

But Baines feels that with a better pool of players available to him at Everton, the former Swansea boss will be able to implement his attractive style of football to a greater effect.

"Wigan were a great side to watch - they just didn't win enough games," he said. "But the manager will be working with some better players here and he will be looking forward to that as well now, being able to put his plan out there.

"We have got good players at the club who could probably execute the style of play better than the players he's worked with before, without being disrespectful to them. He might have a little bit more confidence in the players - I am sure he had confidence in the players he had then but here are some really top players he can look forward to working with.

"We have time to work on it, whether it is a different style of play or whether the formation changes. By the time we kick the first ball of the season we will be well-versed on what he wants to do.''

Baines has only spoken to Martinez on the phone, but the full-back says he is encouraged by what he heard.

"We've chatted on the phone. We missed each other's call a couple of times but we eventually spoke last week,'' he said. "It was just about speaking about the start of the season and looking forward to working with each other. Anyone you speak to only says great things about him, as a manager and as a person.''

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