Moment may have passed for Martin
Instead his fit and clean living nature, coupled with an ability to keep his name out of trouble, pitched him as the minister who was least punch drunk when talk turned to removing Brian Cowen before the general election.
The belated bid to become leader of a political party he cares deeply about came very late and left him tainted by the failings of those he shared a cabinet table with for 13 years.
However, if the 50-year-old from Turners Cross in Cork acts brutally and pushes home his backroom effort ahead of the general election a victory would be a reward for 30 years of loyal service to Fianna Fáil.
Mr Martin was a student of political history and aware of the pitfalls of the over-ambitious.
This has not spared him from constant criticism for his delay in making a case for the leadership, going back long before the current heave.
He has enjoyed good times.
He was enterprise minister when the country was creating more jobs than it had people to fill them. While health minister he was on hand to introduce the most politically treacherous but socially successful policy decision of the past decade — the smoking ban.
However, his time at the Department of Health was sullied by revelations that nursing home patients were being illegally charged and the state was left with an enormous compensation bill.
The belief among his supporters, and held by himself during the prospective heaves last year, is that after the general election he would be the obvious man to take over.
But the former chairman of Ógra Fianna Fáil may not have it that easy.
At the same time as Mr Cowen was being exposed as a once-off golfing partner of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick Mr Martin was put on notice, by junior minister Dara Calleary, that the torch should pass to a new generation.
The delay in refusing to attack Bertie Ahern in his final months or challenging Mr Cowen in 2008 may yet ensure his career trickles out in the opposition back benches.
Similarly the wait may have been his best asset.
While the financial crisis was unfolding and exploding Mr Martin was safely cosseted in one of the most coveted positions in cabinet.
Foreign Affairs kept him out of the spotlight when it came to financial matters and allowed him to pick his moments to present himself in a stately and non-partisan light.
This was in stark contrast to Brian Lenihan who initially won plaudits for helping save the Irish banking system only to see his ratings fall as fast when the recovery proved chronically short-lived.
Since Mr Martin took over at Iveagh House there have been high profile occasions which he handled very well.
Sharon Cummins, the kidnapped GOAL worker, was a stressful moment but ultimately a happy ending was a good news story for the Irish diplomatic corps.
Similarly Mr Martin’s firm stance against Israel on the issue of the blockade of Gaza and the shooting up of the aid flotilla gave him critic-free news coverage.
The cluster bomb treaty, finalised in Dublin, was a coup for Ireland.
Finally he was put in charge of the Government’s second attempt to pass the Lisbon Treaty which won with a much slicker campaign than in 2008.
He still wants to be leader of Fianna Fáil, even in the knowledge this no longer comes with an automatic elevation to Taoiseach.
In pre-Christmas interviews Mr Martin expressed a passion for reforming Fianna Fáil and giving it the shake-up he feels is required after decay at local level.
In the same pre-Christmas interview he said he remains passionate about public office and what can be achieved.
He ruled out any prospect of retiring at the general election, a decision which would have allowed him return to his life as a teacher or more likely accept lucrative invitations from the private sector.
Mr Martin said despite the power that is part and parcel of cabinet life he is not daunted by life in opposition. But either through a lack of ruthlessness or respect for his party leader his moment may have passed.
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