Manager insists he was always going to back Aston Villa star – Rest is history, deserved his chance
09/17/2024 11:11 AM
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has insisted that Aston Villa's Emiliano Martínez was always going to be his number one and has since earned that status tenfold.
ESPN cover comments from the Argentina boss on Clank! about the Aston Villa goalkeeper today as he continues to shine for club and country.
Martínez is the undisputed number one for both at this moment in time after an impressive few years in which he's shone in the Premier League and played a key role in his side winning two Copa America titles and the World Cup.
He only made his debut for his country in June 2021, with Scaloni bringing him in for an eventual 1-1 draw with Chile in Worl Cup qualifying.
That introduction to international football was somewhat fortunate as he was given his chance thanks to Franco Armani missing that international date due to repeated positive COVID-19 tests.
They ruled him out and gave the Aston Villa goalkeeper his chance to step in and he hasn't looked back since, managing 34 cleans sheets in 47 games in total to date.
It seems the plan has always been to bring him in at some point, though, at least if Scaloni's latest insistence is to be believed.
“Yes. It’s not hard for me to say it. Franco was very good, he had given us a lot of things, and Emiliano had been pushing very well," he said.
"If it hadn’t been for COVID, at some point in the tournament we would have given him the opportunity, as we would have given it to a lot of others.
“These things happen. He had to play there, and whenever a player has to play and he does well and doesn’t give us any reason to leave, he’s left there. And then, everything that has happened, he has earned it.
“I think he is what you see. He has nothing else behind him. He is him, a guy who radiates confidence, he is always positive. Even though he may not be well, he doesn’t show it to you.
"Even though he has made some mistakes, he is still eager and transmits that. It is essential for a team to have a goalkeeper with that desire. At no time does he transmit to you the doubts that everyone has.”
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