Wigan finally land boss Martinez
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Wigan Athletic have confirmed Roberto Martinez as their new manager after the Spaniard finalised a three-year deal.
The appointment had been delayed by talks with Martinez's former club Swansea over compensation for the 35-year-old and then his backroom staff.
But the two camps have now agreed a deal for assistant Graeme Jones and chief scout Kevin Reeves to move.
And Martinez is expected to be unveiled to the media on Tuesday after an attempt to do so last week was aborted.
He had been due to be presented as Wigan boss at a news conference last Thursday after the Premier League club agreed an estimated £2m compensation deal with Swansea.
But that payment did not include Martinez's managerial team who helped him to such success at Swansea in his two years in the Liberty Stadium hotseat.
So Wigan's live TV press conference ended in embarrassment as Lactics chairman Dave Whelan could not publicly introduce the successor to Steve Bruce, who has taken over at Sunderland.
Championship club Swansea hoped for a fee of around £500,000 in compensation for their assistant manager Jones and talent-spotter Reeves but the final settlement is undisclosed.
However, Swans chairman Huw Jenkins admitted: "I don't think either club are totally happy with the final compensation figure agreed for the backroom staff.
"But I think both clubs realise that this matter now needs to be concluded so that we can all move on and prepare for the new season."
Martinez will also take goalkeeping coach Inaki Bergara and masseur Oscar Brau with him to join his new-look backroom team at Wigan but the two were out-of-contract at Swansea.
The 35-year-old hugely-respected manager - whom Celtic approached to replace to Gordon Strachan before the Parkhead turned to West Brom boss Tony Mowbray - is now set for an emotional return to Wigan after an eight year absence.
Martinez alongside fellow Spaniards Jesús Seba and Isidro Díaz joined the then bottom division club as one of Wigan's 'Three Amigos' and spent six seasons in Wigan making 180 appearances for the club.
Lactics fans hailed Martinez as Wigan's greatest cult hero in a BBC poll and now he is set to return to the club he left on a free for Motherwell in July 2001.
Martinez also played three-and-half years in two spells at Swansea before the unproven manager was offered the chance to serve his managerial apprenticeship at the Liberty Stadium in February 2007 as Kenny Jackett's replacement.
He quit playing and excelled in his first job as manager and inspired Swansea to the League One championship in his first full season while playing attractive and stylish football.
Martinez continued his beautiful football philosophy in Swansea's first year back in English football's second tier for 24 years as the Welsh club narrowly missed out on a play-off place.
How will Martinez do in the Premier League?
Swansea's trademark total football earned Martinez many plaudits and was particularly highlighted when the Swans beat holders Portsmouth 2-0 at Fratton Park in the fourth round of last season's FA Cup.
Jenkins, who last week admitted the departure of Martinez and his coaching staff had "clearly ripped the heart out of" the club, is now looking for a replacement for Martinez.
Former Wales captain Gary Speed, ex-Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd and Exeter City's back-to-back promotion winning boss Paul Tidsdale have been linked with the Swans job that Martinez helped make so appealing
The appointment had been delayed by talks with Martinez's former club Swansea over compensation for the 35-year-old and then his backroom staff.
But the two camps have now agreed a deal for assistant Graeme Jones and chief scout Kevin Reeves to move.
And Martinez is expected to be unveiled to the media on Tuesday after an attempt to do so last week was aborted.
He had been due to be presented as Wigan boss at a news conference last Thursday after the Premier League club agreed an estimated £2m compensation deal with Swansea.
But that payment did not include Martinez's managerial team who helped him to such success at Swansea in his two years in the Liberty Stadium hotseat.
So Wigan's live TV press conference ended in embarrassment as Lactics chairman Dave Whelan could not publicly introduce the successor to Steve Bruce, who has taken over at Sunderland.
Championship club Swansea hoped for a fee of around £500,000 in compensation for their assistant manager Jones and talent-spotter Reeves but the final settlement is undisclosed.
However, Swans chairman Huw Jenkins admitted: "I don't think either club are totally happy with the final compensation figure agreed for the backroom staff.
"But I think both clubs realise that this matter now needs to be concluded so that we can all move on and prepare for the new season."
Martinez will also take goalkeeping coach Inaki Bergara and masseur Oscar Brau with him to join his new-look backroom team at Wigan but the two were out-of-contract at Swansea.
The 35-year-old hugely-respected manager - whom Celtic approached to replace to Gordon Strachan before the Parkhead turned to West Brom boss Tony Mowbray - is now set for an emotional return to Wigan after an eight year absence.
Martinez alongside fellow Spaniards Jesús Seba and Isidro Díaz joined the then bottom division club as one of Wigan's 'Three Amigos' and spent six seasons in Wigan making 180 appearances for the club.
Lactics fans hailed Martinez as Wigan's greatest cult hero in a BBC poll and now he is set to return to the club he left on a free for Motherwell in July 2001.
Martinez also played three-and-half years in two spells at Swansea before the unproven manager was offered the chance to serve his managerial apprenticeship at the Liberty Stadium in February 2007 as Kenny Jackett's replacement.
He quit playing and excelled in his first job as manager and inspired Swansea to the League One championship in his first full season while playing attractive and stylish football.
Martinez continued his beautiful football philosophy in Swansea's first year back in English football's second tier for 24 years as the Welsh club narrowly missed out on a play-off place.
How will Martinez do in the Premier League?
Swansea's trademark total football earned Martinez many plaudits and was particularly highlighted when the Swans beat holders Portsmouth 2-0 at Fratton Park in the fourth round of last season's FA Cup.
Jenkins, who last week admitted the departure of Martinez and his coaching staff had "clearly ripped the heart out of" the club, is now looking for a replacement for Martinez.
Former Wales captain Gary Speed, ex-Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd and Exeter City's back-to-back promotion winning boss Paul Tidsdale have been linked with the Swans job that Martinez helped make so appealing
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