Martinez keen on Singapore trip

Posted Tuesday, June 30, 2015 by Foxsports.com

Everton manager Roberto Martinez is looking forward to seeing how his side do in the Barclays Asia Trophy in Singapore.

They open the tournament against Stoke City on July 15 at the Singapore National Stadium and will then face either Arsenal or a Singapore Select XI on July 18 at the same venue.

Martinez feels that the tournament is the perfect platform to gauge just how ready they will be for the new Barclays Premier League campaign which starts for him on August 8 against Watford at Goodison Park.

"I'm very excited because first and foremost we are going to have the preparations for pre-season will be a little different because have a trip to Singapore gives an opportunity to work in a different manner," Martinez told the Premier League.

"We're heading to something completely different; that I do feel is going to be perfect in trying to reach a really competitive level quicker than any other pre-season due to the pedigree of this tournament."

Their opening match is against a Stoke side that hammered Liverpool 6-1 in their last match of the season and will be the perfect platform to see how well prepared they are.

"I do feel that that's a real positive when you do it abroad," said Martinez. "When you are here and you're facing Premier League opposition it's a bit harder to take it to the extreme of being able to compete against each other because you have got the fans and there's a strong understanding of each other. It's almost that you want to have the gloves on when you play those games.

"When you are abroad it is different. We are going to compete for a trophy and it's the opportunity to get into a final and then you are facing opposition that is going to be very helpful to reach a physical level, that is going to help us start the season well, so I do feel there's a real positive to face Premier League opposition when you are in a tournament of this magnitude," he added.