Lambert

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

Sorry if I have missed an existing thread on this, but some interesting comments from him. He says he wasnt enjoying the job after we had been promoted from the Championship and had grown tired of it.

This seems remarkable given the messiah like relationship he had with fans, the highs of double promotions and then the opportunity weekly to try and give the big boys a bloody nose, culminating in a successful 12th place.

These are the kind of comments you'd relate to someone wanting to leave football, but it seems he just wanted to leave the club.

He has never replicated the success he had here anywhere else. So I really find his comments remarkable. Something was poisoning it for him. Was it simply he felt he should be on a higher level? He speaks fondly of the owners (though no mention of McNally).

[duke63 739]

We had three great years with him as manager. Obviously something left him with bitterness but regardless best to remember the 3 great seasons. 

[duke63 739]

His comments could also be viewed as advice to McKenna to move on after tomorrow. 😁

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

5 minutes ago, duke63 said:

We had three great years with him as manager. Obviously something left him with bitterness but regardless best to remember the 3 great seasons. 

But what? With everything going so well, adored by fans, the man is unhappy - but thinks he only needs to change club. He has no affection for the club, unlike most people who have been with us before, so what was making him so unhappy? Just a thought he was better than us perhaps?

[Christoph Stiepermann 1,261]

Just kinda further proves that our success was more down to the players we had at the time and their character. Lambert got them playing a style of football that suited them and could give them a rocket when needed but I think what we achieved back then was more due to having an outstanding group with quite a few big characters than Lambert being some inspirational genius manager.  

[king canary 8,757]

1 minute ago, Christoph Stiepermann said:

Just kinda further proves that our success was more down to the players we had at the time and their character. Lambert got them playing a style of football that suited them and could give them a rocket when needed but I think what we achieved back then was more due to having an outstanding group with quite a few big characters than Lambert being some inspirational genius manager.  

That is just nonsense in my view.

That 'outstanding group of players' included such luminaries as Elliot Ward, Leon Barnett, Marc Tierney, Zak Whitbred, Andrew Crofts etc etc.

In League One you can maybe make an argument we had a squad that was outstanding for the level but even then...

[king canary 8,757]

18 minutes ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

Sorry if I have missed an existing thread on this, but some interesting comments from him. He says he wasnt enjoying the job after we had been promoted from the Championship and had grown tired of it.

This seems remarkable given the messiah like relationship he had with fans, the highs of double promotions and then the opportunity weekly to try and give the big boys a bloody nose, culminating in a successful 12th place.

These are the kind of comments you'd relate to someone wanting to leave football, but it seems he just wanted to leave the club.

He has never replicated the success he had here anywhere else. So I really find his comments remarkable. Something was poisoning it for him. Was it simply he felt he should be on a higher level? He speaks fondly of the owners (though no mention of McNally).

He clearly didn't love it here- I remember McNally said he had a wobble when Burnley were interested in him in the middle of our Championship promotion season when we were 2nd in the table. I think he was an ambitious guy prone to getting cold feet- even before he joined us he'd never even done two years at a single club. 

It does seem the relationship with McNally was strained too.

[Matt Juler 211]

If my understanding is correct, I don't think it helped that he never properly lived in the area.  It was reported that he'd either head back to Scotland on a Saturday night or Sunday morning and if there was no midweek game, he'd not be seen in Norwich again until the Thursday.  

[king canary 8,757]

43 minutes ago, Matt Juler said:

If my understanding is correct, I don't think it helped that he never properly lived in the area.  It was reported that he'd either head back to Scotland on a Saturday night or Sunday morning and if there was no midweek game, he'd not be seen in Norwich again until the Thursday.  

I also might be misremembering but didn't he and his wife divorce while he was with us? He'd commented before that the travel put a strain on their marriage so all in all it maybe isn't a great shock he was open to leaving and moving further north at points.

[jaberry2 769]

I really just dont care what Lambert has to say anymore. Thank you for the good times, but you were dead to me when you managed the binners. He's just trying to stay relevant.

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 2,035]

Think I'd be correct in saying that the extra year he 'suffered' here turned out to be the pinnancle of his whole managerial career with a 12th place premier league finish...

[Peregrine Shorts 538]

the man took Ipswich to League 1, cut him some slack

[komakino 282]

1 hour ago, king canary said:

He clearly didn't love it here- I remember McNally said he had a wobble when Burnley were interested in him in the middle of our Championship promotion season when we were 2nd in the table. I think he was an ambitious guy prone to getting cold feet- even before he joined us he'd never even done two years at a single club. 

It does seem the relationship with McNally was strained too.

That's right. Many people forget about the whole Burnley affair, but for whatever reason Lambert wasn't entirely comfortable at CR. Bowkett told a friend of mine around that time that 'He's (Lambert) been trying to leave ever since he got here'. While that comment was probably out of frustration, you get the feeling that the board never quite knew what was going on with him. I'm sure he wasn't happy with the budget he got for keeping us up and that kind of sealed it, but he was bloody good while he was here - nobody has come close - and I try to remember the good times. 

[hogesar 10,763]

He dislikes us, he dislikes the area and more than anything he strongly, strongly dislikes McNally. I know how much he respected Delia and Michael so it didn't surprise me he made an exception and came down for Delia's birthday.

Let's be honest, it was a great time under him but his dislike for us has become mutual with his obvious dislike for the club since. 

[king canary 8,757]

11 minutes ago, komakino said:

That's right. Many people forget about the whole Burnley affair, but for whatever reason Lambert wasn't entirely comfortable at CR. Bowkett told a friend of mine around that time that 'He's (Lambert) been trying to leave ever since he got here'. While that comment was probably out of frustration, you get the feeling that the board never quite knew what was going on with him. I'm sure he wasn't happy with the budget he got for keeping us up and that kind of sealed it, but he was bloody good while he was here - nobody has come close - and I try to remember the good times. 

Yes, I get the sense he's probably quite prickly and not easy to get on with, McNally likely similar. 

I think there is an element though of people forgetting he's human. His family are living in Glasgow, his choices are either not seeing them or commuting back and forth while spending a good chunk of each week in a hotel or in a rental flat on your own. That, likely amongst other factors, leads to the breakdown of your marriage, while you don't get on with your direct boss. I'm not shocked he doesn't look back on it too fondly even if it was the pinnacle of his success as a manager.

I agree too that his time here was the best in my time as a season ticket holder. I'd rather enjoy the memories of back to back promotions, amazing last minute winners, the fantastic win at White Hart Lane and holding our own against the biggest clubs than focus on him being a bit of prat later in life. 

[Deptford Yellow 295]

Shame he has such sour grapes … we loved him … till he left us…

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

The fact Lambert sued Norwich after he left due to an unpaid bonus, and then Norwich countersued him for breach of contact, should also be taken into account why he might have some sourness towards the club.

 

[shefcanary 2,955]

1 hour ago, king canary said:

I also might be misremembering but didn't he and his wife divorce while he was with us? He'd commented before that the travel put a strain on their marriage so all in all it maybe isn't a great shock he was open to leaving and moving further north at points.

I think this is a very valid point. Either after the breakdown in his marriage, or the following being the final straw that broke it, he started an affair with a club employee around the time of the promotion as well IIRC. This would have made things very difficult at work for all concerned as well as obviously harming his marriage. I haven't personally been in the middle of such things, but have witnessed what happens when something like this occurs and it always jeopardises workplace relationships. Given Delia's personal beliefs, I'm sure if she was aware it would have created some issues between her and Lambert. 

[king canary 8,757]

13 minutes ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

The fact Lambert sued Norwich after he left due to an unpaid bonus, and then Norwich countersued him for breach of contact, should also be taken into account why he might have some sourness towards the club.

 

Good point, I'd forgotten about this.

2 minutes ago, shefcanary said:

I think this is a very valid point. Either after the breakdown in his marriage, or the following being the final straw that broke it, he started an affair with a club employee around the time of the promotion as well IIRC. This would have made things very difficult at work for all concerned as well as obviously harming his marriage. I haven't personally been in the middle of such things, but have witnessed what happens when something like this occurs and it always jeopardises workplace relationships. Given Delia's personal beliefs, I'm sure if she was aware it would have created some issues between her and Lambert. 

Wasn't aware of this rumour but it would also make some sense. It sounds like he went through quite a bit of turmoil in his personal life while managing us, in part caused by the fact he'd taken a role a long way away from his family. 

So overall it probably isn't the biggest surprise he isn't glowing about his time here.

[ron obvious 1,711]

Angry & ambitious was my first impression of him when he arrived, & I didn't see anything to make me change my opinion.

[Buck Rogers 18]

10 minutes ago, ron obvious said:

Angry & ambitious was my first impression of him when he arrived, & I didn't see anything to make me change my opinion.

and sullen !

[norwich canary 171]

What a man he is, we would be playing in the champions  league now if mcnasty had done more to accommodate him 

[nutty nigel 7,902]

16 minutes ago, norwich canary said:

What a man he is, we would be playing in the champions  league now if mcnasty had done more to accommodate him 

It wasn't MacNally he fell out with. It was Bowkett. Lawyers got involved after Bowkett spoke out at a fans forum shortly after he left. Then Lambert claimed Bowkett hadn't spoken to him for 2 years.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

1 hour ago, king canary said:

Yes, I get the sense he's probably quite prickly and not easy to get on with, McNally likely similar. 

I think there is an element though of people forgetting he's human. His family are living in Glasgow, his choices are either not seeing them or commuting back and forth while spending a good chunk of each week in a hotel or in a rental flat on your own. That, likely amongst other factors, leads to the breakdown of your marriage, while you don't get on with your direct boss. I'm not shocked he doesn't look back on it too fondly even if it was the pinnacle of his success as a manager.

I agree too that his time here was the best in my time as a season ticket holder. I'd rather enjoy the memories of back to back promotions, amazing last minute winners, the fantastic win at White Hart Lane and holding our own against the biggest clubs than focus on him being a bit of prat later in life. 

Makes you wonder, if he could have stuck it, what a 4th season at Norwich would have brought. Consolidation, collapse or continued over-achievement

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

1 hour ago, king canary said:

in part caused by the fact he'd taken a role a long way away from his family. 

Colchester (and before it Wycombe?) werent that much closer. It's not like he'd left Scotland to take up our job offer

[Robert N. LiM 6,282]

I can't quite remember the timeline - when did Culverhouse and Karsa leave him? - was that when he was at Villa? It did seem as though they were a large part of his success as a coach. If so, it might explain why we continued to do well under Lambert even if the man himself was very unsettled and unhappy.

(In the same way that politicians visibly age in the job, he seemed to age about a decade while he was with us - as others have said the breakdown of his marriage can't have helped. Maybe he could be given a complimentary seat for life* in the Snakepit as a means of building some bridges)

Edited May 3 by Robert N. LiM
*but not inheritable, obviously.

[All the Germans 1,239]

Isn't this just a washed up manager with zero prospects running a semi controversial interview/story to get some money? 

[sgncfc 1,330]

Loved his three years with us, but at the time he was a right grumpy uppity Scots bloke and he never liked this part of the world. He claims that as a sportsman he was just interested in the job of work - well, he did great for us and also great for us down the road where he was truly limp - probably the greatest insult you can give a sportsman.

For the time, he was just what we needed.

[king canary 8,757]

1 hour ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

Colchester (and before it Wycombe?) werent that much closer. It's not like he'd left Scotland to take up our job offer

No- it might just be that Norwich was the straw that broke the camels back so to speak.

[chicken 3,086]

6 hours ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

Sorry if I have missed an existing thread on this, but some interesting comments from him. He says he wasnt enjoying the job after we had been promoted from the Championship and had grown tired of it.

This seems remarkable given the messiah like relationship he had with fans, the highs of double promotions and then the opportunity weekly to try and give the big boys a bloody nose, culminating in a successful 12th place.

These are the kind of comments you'd relate to someone wanting to leave football, but it seems he just wanted to leave the club.

He has never replicated the success he had here anywhere else. So I really find his comments remarkable. Something was poisoning it for him. Was it simply he felt he should be on a higher level? He speaks fondly of the owners (though no mention of McNally).

Replicate - no, but I think he did a solid job with Villa for several seasons.

I do think that Culverhouse and Karsa were as much of, and an important part of, the success we had as he was.

Many of the players speak fondly of him though so clearly he was good at colney etc. Ambition can sometimes leave some challenges feel less of a challenge and more of a chore.

Being told no frequently when it comes to transfers might not help that either.

£10m. Benteke and Vlaar...