David Seaman has shared that Aston Villa goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, has always been ‘outspoken’, even since his Arsenal days, as he told his own podcast.
The Highbury legend was asked why Martinez keeps ‘bad-mouthing’ his former club and he shared one possibility is because of what he got offered to stay at Arsenal, before leaving for Villa.
It has been nearly two years since Arsenal sold the Copa America winner to Villa for £17 million (BBC Sport).
At the time, there were question marks over that call by the north London club, especially when Martinez went on to secure 15 clean sheets in his debut campaign at Villa Park.
But on a number of occasions, during that period, Martinez has spoken about Arsenal and fans haven’t liked the negative tone which he has used.
Seaman was asked about why Martinez keeps ‘bad-mouthing’ the Gunners by comedian and Arsenal fan, Matt Lucas, and whether he is someone who was always ‘outspoken’ during his career.
“I think it’s to do with what he got offered to stay at Arsenal,” said Seaman. “And after ten years, because I was their when he first arrived as a 16-year-old.
“I was helping out Tony Roberts, who was the Youth team goalkeeping coach. And Martinez was really raw. He was as raw as it comes. But he had this frame and physique that was perfect for a goalkeeper.
“He is outspoken. That developed because he gains confidence, doesn’t he?! Then, the number of loans he went out on. You are meeting a lot of different people. Then you are going into a lot of different dressing rooms. That helps. It helps for a goalkeeper and your mental toughness. But he was always like that.
“But I don’t know why he keeps bad-mouthing. I think it was partly because of what the fans were singing to him when Arsenal played Villa. And they said ‘Ramsdale is better than him’.”
From Martinez’s perspective, he made the right call moving to Villa Park because he has taken his game to the next level and earned his maiden call with Argentina whilst in Claret and Blue colours.
Added with that, he won the Copa America in the summer and he was also shortlisted for the Lev Yashin trophy – an award for the best goalkeepers in the world.
And whilst Arsenal went about it through a longer route, in the end, they have managed to find a keeper that can also be considered to be one of the best in the Premier League now.
Ramsdale has probably been the signing of the summer, so far, and someone who might just don Arsenal’s capacity if Mikel Arteta opts to hand him the armband after stripping Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the role.
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