Martinez broke of talks with Liverpool

Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has revealed Roberto Martinez broke off talks with Liverpool because of the club's intention to appoint a sporting director. The Spaniard was in the frame to succeed Kenny Dalglish as manager at Anfield but, as Goal.com exclusively revealed on Wednesday, discussions ended due to Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, being keen on installing a tier of three directors at the club. "Liverpool held constructive talks with Roberto and Roberto basically reported to me that he had constructive talks with them and he didn’t quite agree with the way they wanted to run the club with some of the responsibilities being taken from the manager and passed to a football director or whatever," Whelan told Goal.com "Roberto is Roberto and he runs football – total. He never took to how they wanted to run the club. "When I spoke to him he basically said how they wanted it set up – the management of the club – it doesn’t fit in with my idea of how I think you should run a club." Brendan Rodgers is now set to become the new manager at Anfield after the Swansea City boss held talks with Liverpool's owners on Wednesday, and the 39-year-old is likely to be appointed on a three-year contract within the next 24 hours. "They have got a good young manager there now in Brendan Rodgers," said Whelan. "I know he took over from Roberto at Swansea and Roberto had laid down the rules and regulations and the way they played and the lad picked it up and has had two great seasons, getting promoted and then doing really well in the Premier League. "He has to be complimented on that because he had a wonderful season with Swansea. We wish him good luck and we want Liverpool to do well."