Roberto Martínez has been speaking on a wide range of issues relating to his Portugal squad ahead of the upcoming European Championships.
Seleção boss Martínez appeared on Rio Ferdinand’s FIVE podcast and was questioned about a number of his players ahead of the tournament, where Portugal will be one of the frontrunners for the trophy.
Asked by Ferdinand to talk about Manchester City winger Bernardo Silva, Martínez was unsurprisingly glowing in his praise of the former Benfica man. Bernardo recently won his 6th Premier League title with City, where he has lifted numerous trophies, including the Champions League last term.
“It’s the intelligence of Bernardo,” Martínez began. “Bernardo is a player who you saw in his time in the French league with Monaco was a proper right winger, always working in that structure. Then he became more of an inside player. Arrives at Man City and has almost played everywhere. Even as a left-back.
“And it’s because of the intelligence, the way that he sees the game. Without a doubt he’s going to be a manager when he retires, without a doubt. He’s got this capacity of understanding the game. When a player plays the game, normally he understands his role. Bernardo understands what the others are doing and how can he help the player next to him with his positioning.
“A player with an incredible capacity for turning. It’s something we don’t get enough of today in the game. Now we’re developing this culture of keeping the ball and possession. The difference between having a good team and a winning team is that player who can turn that possession into entries in the final third.
“He makes that thought. When you look back and watch a goal, there’s a lot of individual quality or an intuitive moment. With Bernardo there’s always a thought. There’s always a line. There’s something. He’s dragged the full-back out or he’s tried to go inside to open the space, or he’s stopped the tempo to open the space. There is always a thought.
“But then there is hard work, there’s someone who has got this intensity to fit into the modern game. He’s got an incredible brain.”
By @SeanGillen9
