Martinez To Meet Up With Old Friends

Roberto Martinez will be meeting up with two former colleagues tomorrow when his side travel to Nottingham Forest.

Forest manager Billy Davies signed Martinez at Motherwell, and Davies' assistant David Kelly was the Spaniard's team-mate at the Scottish club.

Martinez told the Evening Post:

'It will be interesting coming up against those two,'

'Billy Davies was the man who signed me at Motherwell but then he got sacked six weeks later.

'It was a difficult period because you get to attached to people like him.

'Billy has a great record and he is someone I admire as a manager and as a human being.

'Billy has improved players'

Martinez added:

'His motivation skills are fantastic, his man management is very, very good and he is a winner. Wherever he has been as a manager he has had an impact. In any dressing room he has worked in, Billy has improved players.

Martinez spent 10 months at Motherwell during 2001 and 2002, and made just 8 starts for the club before joining Walsall. It was 10 months there as well, making 1 appearance before joining the Swans in 2003.

The Swans boss also praised Forest assistant manager Ned Kelly:

'Ned Kelly is someone I spent a lot of time with when I was at Motherwell and he is someone I've respected throughout my career. When you sit down with Ned it's like you've never been apart. He has a fantastic family and he is a special character.

'We are both very passionate about football and we have very different views, so that makes for some great arguments.

'He is a good friend of mine, but it wouldn't surprise me if we don't always agree tomorrow because both teams will be fighting tooth and nail for the points.'

Martinex's side could complete the double over Forest this season, following our 3-1 win back in August 2008 at the Liberty Stadium.

Gorka Pintado's first strike for the Swans will live long in the memory, it was a superb quick run into the box in front of his marker, before firing the ball into the opposite corner with the outside of his right boot.

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