Roberto Martinez focused on Belgium amid Barcelona rumours

Roberto Martinez
(Image credit: PA)

Roberto Martinez insists he is fully focused on the Belgium job amid reports linking him with Barcelona.

The former Everton head coach has been mentioned as a possible replacement for the under-fire Ronald Koeman.

The Dutchman is expected to lose his job as Barcelona boss once a suitable successor has been found.

But Martinez refused to be drawn on the speculation as he prepares for Belgium's Nations League semi-final against France on Thursday.

"In all honesty, I don’t spend much time thinking about my future," he told Goal

"My career shows that I don’t make plans to get to where I am now. I just go from project to project. You learn that you have to be committed today.

"In football, if you start thinking you just drop your performance and underachieve in what you do. In my case, I am very, very happy in what I am doing and I am just trying to achieve the next steps.

"In the end, if I have to arrive at a decision where there’s a door I will just try to make the best decision for everyone."

Martinez was born in Catalonia in 1973 and began his youth career with local club Balaguer.

And the 48-year-old says he will never lose his connection with his home region or his country.

"You never lose your roots. I am very, very proud of it and my family are from there," he added.

"But you learn not to miss places and to find a home wherever you are with a happy environment. It is true that one of the strange things is that my first game as a national team coach was against Spain.

"It really set the way that we were going to work from that point on. Now, we might have the opportunity to face each other which would be a really fascinating game. It just shows this competition really works.

"It brings teams like France, Spain and Italy into outstanding games with the opportunity of winning silverware. It really is quite special whatever way you want to look at it as a story for Belgium.

"If we play Spain, I grew up in Spain, and the other possible opponent is Italy, who stopped us in the Euros. Against France, we face the team that beat us at the semi-final of the World Cup. There’s a lot of stories and plans we need to make."

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