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Page last updated at 11:00 GMT, Sunday, 8 February 2009

Play-off charge is on - Martinez

Roberto Martinez
Martinez is targeting his second promotion in as many seasons

Roberto Martinez has finally admitted his Swansea City side can reach the play-offs in their first season in the Championship.

Martinez, who has been keen to play down such talk, watched his side extend their unbeaten league run to 13 after beating Ipswich Town 3-0.

The win took Swansea to seventh in the table, two points off a top six place.

"The reality now is we are in a position that we can dream about the play-offs," said the Spaniard.

"We have now moved into the last third of the season and our target must now be the play-offs.

"The players are desperate to maintain this level until the end of the season.

"We wanted to have 51 points by the end of February and we are still three points from that."

Martinez, who picked up the Championship's manager of the month award for January after overseeing wins against promotion-chasing Reading, Burnley and Preston, has turned the Swans into a force to be reckoned with.

Their stylish play has won them many plaudits and they are fast becoming the division's dark horses for promotion.

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And now Martinez is calling on everyone involved with Swansea City to help them through the final straight.

"Now is the time to get together as a football club," he said.

"The staff, the players and especially the fans need to make sure we are ready to give us our best possible chance to win three points in every game we play in."

Martinez believes the Swans' final run-in should be easier, not because they have played most of the top teams twice already, but because his players have adjusted to the Championship.

He added: "I'm delighted with the way a group of players with no experience at Championship level have been able to work towards getting the experience and towards having a good football arrogance, and that pleases me.

"I'm delighted that we have been able to compete in this division, never mind reaching the play-offs."

And on the possibility of promotion to the Premier League, Martinez added: "It would be a massive, massive achievement."



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see also
Swansea 3-0 Ipswich
07 Feb 09 |  Championship
BBC Sport Wales coverage
03 Oct 11 |  Wales


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