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Everton's Steven Naismith has praised his manager Roberto Martinez for upping his game as he prepares to line-up for Scotland against Poland.

The 27-year-old joined the Blues before the start of last season, under David Moyes, but has admitted that his time playing for Martinez this season has been an eye-opener.

He said: "For me, he's been great. I've learned more this season than I did under any manager previously. Every day there is something new.

"He's totally different to any manager I've worked with in terms of his methods, philosophies and the way he wants us to play. It's been a big learning curve, but more down to the fact that he sees it as a squad game.

"He doesn't have players he thinks will play every week. We were due to play Crystal Palace recently and the game got called off. There were three of us who were in the team that night but then didn't play against Swansea a few days later.

"That sums up the way he works. He treats every game differently and has a game plan. Normally, in pre-season, you run and then get the footballs out. He's a different type of manager. It intrigues me and I'm really interested in the way he works."

Naismith believes that Martinez's influence has helped his international career as he fights to get a place in a national squad that he says is the best yet.

He continued: "With Scotland I think I've put my case forward to be considered for the main striking role but one thing I've learned from Roberto Martinez this season is that a team needs everybody. It's not a case of the manager picking one striker to go with in every game. In my international career, this is as hard a squad to get into as there has ever been."

Naismith also reserved special praise for his fellow Scot and Everton legend Duncan Ferguson after he was promoted to work with the senior staff.

He said: "Duncan is a massive figure at the club with the fans, he brings a lot of passion and has worked well with me. I've enjoyed the small things he does. We do shooting drills with him. He takes a lot of them and has been good to work with. He was always someone I looked up to. I vaguely remember him at Rangers, but more so his Everton career.

"The fans love him. Everybody talks about 'big Dunc this' and 'big Dunc that'. Everton's most recent success came when he was in the team and the Evertonians still remember that. "You hear a lot of stories about him, so it was good to have a chat. He's actually a really quiet guy and he doesn't give much away until you sit down with him and have a good talk.

"Now he's working with us you see him as a coach, not as a young guy trying to be a coach. He's good and I don't think there's a better club for him to be at. The whole set-up is fantastic."

Our dedicated EFC reporter Greg O'Keeffe had his say on Naismith's comments.

He says: "As mentioned by Naismith in the interview, Duncan Ferguson's role will include some work focused on just the strikers, although that's not his only remit. He's not a striking coach - as for example Ian Rush has been at Melwood.

"Naisy is often a refreshingly open speaker and he shares the same intrigue as most Blues at Ferguson's prior decision to disappear to Majorca for five years before returning to become a coach. The man is an enigma!That said, as I've got to know Duncan the main thing that shines through is his love of football and coaching. In that he is very much like Roberto Martinez, who also receives some high praise in the piece.

"I particularly like the honest admission from Steven that Martinez's team selection is like few others i.e. Naisy was in the team for the postponed Palace game, then on the bench again for the Swansea FA Cup match a few days later.

"In typically upbeat Naisy fashion it sounds like he relishes the challenge rather than having a moan to the Scottish press about it. That's one of many reasons why he's so popular at Goodison."

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