Martinez: Scotland will get us to the play-offs

[Tallman]

Martinez: Scotland will get us to the play-offs
Wales On Sunday

ROBERTO MARTINEZ hailed the Premier League class of his bargain buy striker as he declared the play-off dream on for Swansea.

Jason Scotland made it 16 for the season with his brace to sink Ipswich, with Jordi Gomez adding the third with four minutes to go.

And Martinez, who bought the Trinidad talisman for just £25,000 two summers ago, admitted the player with the magic touch is proving he’s worth more than his weight in gold.

Martinez said: “Jason is one of several players ready to play in the Premiership – and you don’t get too many like him.

“I was surprised we were able to get him when we did for the price we did and now I just want to enjoy his talent.

“His goals ratio is outstanding and the second goal he scored was a Premier League finish which shows the type of time he’s enjoying.

“He had big boots to fill at this football club but he has worked hard and ask the fans what they think about him and it says volumes about a goalscorer with a magic touch.”

But with the team’s overall performance the reason behind his bullishness, Martinez added: “We’re heading into the last third of the season and I always said we needed to get as many points as we could at this stage.

“We wanted to have 51 points by the end of February and we’re three points off – but with 15 games to go the target has to be the play-offs.”

[black chinee]

Does anyone have clips of his goals???

[spideybuff]

“He had big boots to fill at this football club but he has worked hard and ask the fans what they think about him and it says volumes about a goalscorer with a magic touch.”

So what do the fans think now?

[dreamer]

The Coca-Cola Football League Championship Table
07 February 2009
     
                P GD PTS
 
1 Wolverhampton 32 22 63
2 Reading 31 32 59

--------------------------
 
3 Birmingham 31 10 57
4 Cardiff 29 15 51
5 Sheff Utd 32 14 51
6 Preston 32 4 50

---------------------------
 
7 Swansea 31 13 48
8 Bristol City 31 4 47
9 QPR 31 4 47
10 Burnley 31 0 47
11 Ipswich 31 8 43
12 Sheff Wed 31 -9 42
13 Crystal Palace 29 5 40
14 Coventry 31 -3 40
15 Blackpool 31 -9 37
16 Derby 30 -8 35
17 Plymouth 31 -9 35
18 Nottm Forest 31 -9 34
19 Doncaster 30 -11 34
20 Norwich 32 -8 32
21 Barnsley 30 -12 32

--------------------------
 
22 Watford 30 -11 30
23 Southampton 31 -19 28
24 Charlton 31 -23 22
 
Full Championship table



Top Scorers
The Coca-Cola Football League Championship Top Scorers
 
                     Team TOT

Ebanks-Blake Wolverhampton 20
Doyle Reading 17
Scotland Swansea 15
McCormack Cardiff 14
Iwelumo Wolverhampton 13
Phillips Birmingham 13
Smith Watford 12
Blackstock QPR 11
Paterson Burnley 11
Hulse Derby 10
Hunt Reading 10
Tudgay Sheff Wed 10
Gomez Swansea 9
Maynard Bristol City 9
Bothroyd Cardiff
 
 

[weary1969]

“He had big boots to fill at this football club but he has worked hard and ask the fans what they think about him and it says volumes about a goalscorer with a magic touch.”

So what do the fans think now?

Same ting nuff peeps sayin here he eh good he doh score 4 TNT

[acb]

hmm ... just realise the Scotty and Stern fighting hard for that last playoff spot.

[capodetutticapi]

hmm ... just realise the Scotty and Stern fighting hard for that last playoff spot.

it possible de 2 ah them could end up in playoff contention.

[AB.Trini]

Listen tuh dis arse talk about how surprise and how cheaply he  get Scotland; yuh think he really care about the player?  or TNT ? Listen nah Scotland; yuh have wuk tuh do with the club but doh forsake TNT fuh what yuh call one of the most f**kry of words "gaffers"

[elan]

“He had big boots to fill at this football club but he has worked hard and ask the fans what they think about him and it says volumes about a goalscorer with a magic touch.”

So what do the fans think now?

We don't think he could play for we so that's what the fans think.......wait you mean them in Scotland?

[Ngozi]

Listen tuh dis arse talk about how surprise and how cheaply he  get Scotland; yuh think he really care about the player?  or TNT ? Listen nah Scotland; yuh have wuk tuh do with the club but doh forsake TNT fuh what yuh call one of the most f**kry of words "gaffers"

So wait he didnt get him cheap? The man pay 25000 pounds for the man not 250 000 not 2 million  25000 pounds  in a time when players are being sold for 25 million easily so what that have to do with caring about the player or what ? he bought the player for 25000 and the man has scored double figures in goals for two straight seasons.....that is astounding business you bought a player not even from the spl but the scottish first division its tremendous business ........ It is simply the facts   for 25000 this man could possibly lead them to the premiership!

[soca_randy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swansea_city/7877109.stm


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Scotland has Premier League dream 
 
Trinidad and Tobago striker Scotland has scored 16 goals this season
Jason Scotland is confident of firing Swansea City into the Premier League after scoring 11 goals in 11 games.

The Swans are now just one place and two points off the play-offs with a game in hand over their rivals.

"I would like to think I can go on an on," said Scotland, 29, whose brace in the 3-0 win over Ipswich on Saturday took his season's tally to 16.

"We are taking one game at a time, hopefully get into the play-offs and you never know what can happen then."

He added: "It's a dream for me as a player and the whole squad to play in the Premier League.

"If we get there, it will be a great achievement for us."

"The standard we played against Portsmouth (in the FA Cup), the guys are thinking we can make it in the Premier League.

 606: DEBATE
I am completely speechless that a guy who cost us just £25k is on 15 league goals for the season already

TesoKesa

"But we don't want to get too hyper. We are not saying we can go into the Premier League and do it week in week out."

Manager Roberto Martinez paid tribute to Trinidad & Tobago international Scotland, who was also last season's top scorer in League One with 29 goals.

Scotland was signed in the summer of 2007 from St Johnstone for just £25,000 and was seen as the replacement for Lee Trundle.

Despite his goal scoring record, Scotland has struggled to win over a small section of the Swansea faithful.

But now Martinez believes he has achieved that.

"When he came to this football club, he had big boots to fill," said the Spaniard.

"But in his own way, he worked very, very hard. He is a great goal scorer, has that magic touch and is a great finisher of the ball.

"When he's in a sweet moment he is hard to stop.

"If you look at his goal scoring record, it's outstanding and he is starting to feel loved now."

But while Scotland is dreaming of promotion, he knows the Swans have to keep a cool head if they are to achieve that.

"It's our first time in the division, we're just keeping our heads down and performing as we do," he said.

"The football we are playing is great stuff."