Season › 2013-14 › News Martinez eyes new role for Royle Lyndon Lloyd , 22 April, 0comments | Jump to most recent Everton legend Joe Royle could return to the club after Roberto Martinez identified him as the perfect candidate for a new development role on his back-room staff. Martinez confirmed reports that emerged in The Mirror last week that he wants to employ a development director, potentially to liaise with the club's loan players and monitor their progress, and that former Blues boss Royle is at the top of his list. “Joe is someone we identified who would be fantastic in a role we want to create," Martinez told evertontv today. "There is a real need for a figure that is an Evertonian and knows the football club. “He is someone who has been a manager and has been through a lot of experiences and can now concentrate on giving that final piece of advice to help try and develop a young player. We need to do that. “The work we do in the academy is phenomenal and we need to help young players get through that process and to try and get them into the first-team. And if we can't do that, we need to get them into the professional game. Joe Royle could be a perfect fit for that role.” Royle played 275 times for Everton, scoring 119 goals and managed the club to their last major trophy success in 1995, steering the Blues to their fifth FA Cup with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the final. After just missing out on qualification for the old UEFA Cup the following season, however, he struggled to maintain a top-six push in the 1996-97 season and left the club in March 1997. He went on to manage at Manchester City, Ipswich Town and returned to Oldham Athletic in 2009 but has largely been a football pundit in recent years. Royle confirmed today on his blog that talks have been held and that he is interested in returning to Everton but nothing concrete has been decided yet: I have talked with Goodison manager Roberto Martinez and chairman Bill Kenwright about taking up a role next season, monitoring the Under-21 players. Nothing has been decided, but I am excited at the prospect of going back, for a third stint, to the club where my career began nearly 50 years ago. Quotes sourced from Evertonfc.com About these ads © ToffeeWeb