As a Norwich City supporter I was surprised to see/hear reports that Paul Lambert was in the running for the vacant West Ham job. Not so much to why West Ham would be interested, because Lambert’s record over the last two years speaks for itself. But more the suggestion that Paul Lambert would be prepared to jump ship after all the hard work he has done in getting Norwich City into the Premier League. For me, it would pure madness for the Scotsman to spurn a chance of Premier League management in favour of taking over a club that needs an awful lot of work, but perhaps most crucially will be playing Championship football next season.
I think it’s fair to say that Paul Lambert has completed his lower league training and there is now no reason for Lambert to manage outside the Premier League ever again. As Norwich City fans I think we are realistic enough to know that Paul Lambert will move on at some point, but when it happens it will be to a big Premier League outfit. Now to be fair to West Ham they will almost certainly get themselves back into the Premier League and with them moving into the Olympic Stadium they certainly should have a bright future. And I certainly understand people who say West Ham have the greater potential of the two clubs. However, I prefer to live in the here and now and not what could happen in the future.
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In the present Norwich City is a Premier League club with an exciting but also challenging season ahead. There is clearly a good relationship between Lambert and the board and I think both have a huge amount of mutual respect for each other. The board know that they have to back Lambert because if they don’t someone else will. So expect Norwich City’s summer transfer spend to be that bit more ambitious than that of Blackpool’s this season. Equally Lambert knows the board are there to help but not to interfere. Make no mistake Lambert is in total control of who is bought and who is sold. Furthermore, there is the relationship between Lambert and the fans to consider; again it is one of mutual respect. The fans love Lambert for the success he has brought the club and Lambert is in awe of the support Norwich has. Full houses every home game and thousands of fans travel away. And that has been the case in League One and the Championship, yet there are Premier League sides that can’t sell out. But there won’t be a spare seat to be had at Carrow Road next season.
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Now I don’t think Paul Lambert is ready to leave that behind. He has built something special at Norwich and he will want to see how far it can go. Yes, the time that Lambert leaves Norwich will come but not for a while yet. So you might as well remove his name from the shortlist, West Ham because he is not leaving Norwich just yet.
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