ROBERTO MARTINEZ says it is vital Everton nurture the “phenomenal” talent that lies in their Academy set-up.

The new Blues boss will dedicate significant time and resource into ensuring the club’s young players make the step up into first-team football.

Martinez believes the English game is falling short in player development and the 39-year-old wants Everton to follow the blueprint set by Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy.

Everton house all of their teams under one roof at their Finch Farm training complex and Martinez is thrilled with his new headquarters.

The former Wigan Athletic manager praised the work done by Academy boss Alan Irvine and says it is imperative that Everton continue to tap into the wealth of talent on Merseyside.

“It becomes the biggest strength of the future for any football club,” Martinez said of a successful youth set-up.

“You rely on your home-grown talent and the biggest example around right now is Barcelona.

“I do feel that the talent we have got at this football club is phenomenal and we need to make sure we help that talent develop and to reach the levels the modern game needs.

“That is something we are going to be putting a lot of attention, effort, time and finances in to.”

He added: “I will be working very closely with the Academy. It is important.

“Alan Irvine has got a tremendous part in that. What he has done so far has been really impressive and we need to work together as a football club.

“We need to put a lot of focus on trying to give youngsters opportunities.

“I still believe the British development of youngsters is not ideal but I know the Premier League and the FA are working closely to try and come up with a perfect situation. At Everton we are going to help as much as we can.

“The development of players after the age of 18 is crucial and I don’t think we are as good as we could be in the British game.

“It is something we are going to put a lot of effort into at Everton to make sure the local talent – which is huge and well renowned in world football – we take advantage of and make it a real strength of the future.

“We need to work closely and take advantage of that potential at the club.”

Martinez was named Everton manager last Wednesday and paid a first visit to Finch Farm that evening.

The former Swansea City boss has been at the Halewood base again this week and says the facilities are top class but believes the most impressive aspect is that all of the club’s sides train at the same venue.

“It is a state-of-the-art facility and the most important aspect for me is that we have the under-9s right through to the first-team in the same place,” he said.

“You breathe football when you come in here. You can see us spending many hours here trying to develop our youngsters and preparing them as well as we can. And for the first team this is the perfect environment to spend the hours we need to reach the levels we need to.

“In that respect, I couldn’t be happier and proud of what we have got here.”