Manager Paul Lambert

[KjParton]

 

Best manager we have had in 30 years.

 

I'd actually say he is the best thing to happen to the club in 40 years.

 

I know where you're coming from, and the reasons behind your faith in Lambert. But I do think such optimism needs to be tempered by the fact that we spent the majority of last season thoroughly soiling ourselves at the specter of relegation. He hasn't done anything to justify such praise just yet, though he is certainly steering us in the right direction.

 

A necessary evil

[Shillzz]

 

 

Best manager we have had in 30 years.

 

I'd actually say he is the best thing to happen to the club in 40 years.

 

I know where you're coming from, and the reasons behind your faith in Lambert. But I do think such optimism needs to be tempered by the fact that we spent the majority of last season thoroughly soiling ourselves at the specter of relegation. He hasn't done anything to justify such praise just yet, though he is certainly steering us in the right direction.

 

A necessary evil

 

 

Yes it was, and it paid off. But only just.

 

Lambert has still to elevate us above the levels attained by the much maligned messrs Houllier & messrs Mcleish. There are signs of a great future, but they need to be realised before we go overboard with the praise.

[Don_Simon]

Best manager we have had in 30 years.

 

I'd actually say he is the best thing to happen to the club in 40 years.

 

I'd temper that by saying winning the European Cup was the best thing to happen to the club in 40 years. But I see your point in terms of potentially our best manager. Absolutely.

 

(Edited with the addition of the word "potentially"!)

Edited June 13, 2013 by Don_Simon

[Dante_Lockhart]

11th place finish this year I reckon.

[Richard]

 

 

 

Best manager we have had in 30 years.

 

I'd actually say he is the best thing to happen to the club in 40 years.

 

I know where you're coming from, and the reasons behind your faith in Lambert. But I do think such optimism needs to be tempered by the fact that we spent the majority of last season thoroughly soiling ourselves at the specter of relegation. He hasn't done anything to justify such praise just yet, though he is certainly steering us in the right direction.

 

A necessary evil

 

 

Yes it was, and it paid off. But only just.

 

Lambert has still to elevate us above the levels attained by the much maligned messrs Houllier & messrs Mcleish. There are signs of a great future, but they need to be realised before we go overboard with the praise.

 

With more points and a higher finish than under Mcleish I'd say he has taken us above that level.  I get your point though.

 

I suppose I could have added potentially to my post but just from my perspective that word watered down my opinion a little which I didnt want to do.

 

I also take the point about European cup win,  it could be argued that was a double edged sword but i understand that point.

[samjp26]

11th place finish this year I reckon.

 

Agree we have to aim for mid-table next season, I love what Lambert is doing but there has to be progression in the table too, which I am sure there will be.

[KjParton]

Surely we'd aim for as high as possible  

[Richard]

Surely we'd aim for as high as possible

Nope.  We aim for going again.

[KjParton]

bloody love to pick myself up and go again

[tinker]

I like what hes doing, with the young players.I Just have to keep reminding myself that teams with so many young players in will have bad days at the office, it's how they react, Lambert, the fans and the press that will make or break the teams performance over a season.

Losing heavily against Chelsea, Vlar being injured, losing to Southampton, Wigan at home, giving away so many leads In games we should have won, leaking goals........ Next season will be less of the same ( fingers crossed) We all have to keep our feet on the ground and back the team when shit hits the fan and it will.

Lambert could be great, after one season it looks promising, this time next year I think we will know for sure UTV

Edited June 13, 2013 by tinker

[El-Reacho]

His unwavering belief that his team of kids was good enough to stay up without resorting to playing for draws, without resorting to bringing in experienced PL players on loan etc showed real strength of character and stubborness that you could liken to Ferguson or Wenger. I think it's starting to rub of on the players too.

[Rob182]

If we get the players we are being linked to BOF, keeping Benteke and strengthening the left side of our defence (Creswell?) then i can see us being the surprise package next season and that package will come with some very entertaining football which we all want.

Really don't feel at all well after writing that so must go for a lie down.

left back, right back, centre back,central midfielder and another wide forward if nzogbia goes and i dont think we will be far off. Defence must be his number 1 priority.

Bent,Ireland,Bannan,Allbrighton,Hutton,Holman,KEA out the door.

I would keep KEA, and possibly Albrighton too.

Neither of them will be on high wages, they can simply be part of 'the squad' and the fact they have both had a period of good games at the club, makes me think that Lambert could get the best out of them if they were called upon.

(Also, KEA is Morrocan like Belhanda!... I'm remaining optimistic about that one)

[NIVillan]

Best manager we have had in 30 years.

 

I'd actually say he is the best thing to happen to the club in 40 years.

 

So are you saying Paul Lambert it is better than Ron Saunders Arriving? Which was 1974 and within your 40 yr mark.  Saunders took a middle Div 2 side which had been in Div 3 more recently than Div 1, to Div 1 Champions in 6 years.  

 

Also Graham Taylor MK 1 did a hell of lot of good restructuring the club at the end of the 80s.  Creating the start of the solid youth platform we have today.

Due to the GT MKII we seem to forget what a total mess the club was in when he arrived.

 

I think Lambert has the making of a manager that could potentially reach Saunders levels but he hasnt proven anything just yet.

 

Taylor, Little, Gregory, Atkinson, O'Leary and O'Neil all had a better first full seasons.

 

Next Season we can see if he is the person we think he is and hope he can be.

[BOF]

Best manager we have had in 30 years.

 

I'd actually say he is the best thing to happen to the club in 40 years.

 

I know where you're coming from, and the reasons behind your faith in Lambert. But I do think such optimism needs to be tempered by the fact that we spent the majority of last season thoroughly soiling ourselves at the specter of relegation. He hasn't done anything to justify such praise just yet, though he is certainly steering us in the right direction.

A necessary evil

 

Yes it was, and it paid off. But only just.

 

Lambert has still to elevate us above the levels attained by the much maligned messrs Houllier & messrs Mcleish. There are signs of a great future, but they need to be realised before we go overboard with the praise.

It is precisely because Lambert judged the scale of change to perfection and managed to change as much as he did while maintaining our league status that makes him such a good manager (in the literal sense) and judge. Yes it could have gone wrong, but ultimately it didn't, which means he was right; he was vindicated. We won't need to make that amount of change again un der him and he has made about 3 seasons worth of change in 1 season.

[Shillzz]

 

 

 

 

Best manager we have had in 30 years.

 

I'd actually say he is the best thing to happen to the club in 40 years.

 

I know where you're coming from, and the reasons behind your faith in Lambert. But I do think such optimism needs to be tempered by the fact that we spent the majority of last season thoroughly soiling ourselves at the specter of relegation. He hasn't done anything to justify such praise just yet, though he is certainly steering us in the right direction.

 

A necessary evil

 

 

Yes it was, and it paid off. But only just.

 

Lambert has still to elevate us above the levels attained by the much maligned messrs Houllier & messrs Mcleish. There are signs of a great future, but they need to be realised before we go overboard with the praise.

 

It is precisely because Lambert judged the scale of change to perfection and managed to change as much as he did while maintaining our league status that makes him such a good manager (in the literal sense) and judge. Yes it could have gone wrong, but ultimately it didn't, which means he was right; he was vindicated. We won't need to make that amount of change again un der him and he has made about 3 seasons worth of change in 1 season.

 

 

I see what you're saying BOF, but I do disagree to some extent. We can sit back and praise Lambert retrospectively because he just about got it right last season. But what if Gabby hadn't got that winner at Norwich and Wigan didn't inexplicably capitulate against Swansea? There was a big element of luck in our survival, and in my opinion we sailed a bit too close to the wind. I am fully behind his management, as I was all the way through last season, but our plight could have been very different and I'm not willing to sing his praises too much just yet.

[romavillan]

it really was very drastic what he came in and did, and as they would say over here, shows he has enormous balls as a manager

he's only just got his foundations ready though, if that, his first crack at a truly lambert team will come with the start of the new season if everything goes well this summer and he manages to get rid of everyone he wants out, bringing in enough players in the lambert mould to call the squad his. so it's still very early days for this project.

[BOF]

I see what you're saying BOF, but I do disagree to some extent. We can sit back and praise Lambert retrospectively because he just about got it right last season. But what if Gabby hadn't got that winner at Norwich and Wigan didn't inexplicably capitulate against Swansea? There was a big element of luck in our survival, and in my opinion we sailed a bit too close to the wind. I am fully behind his management, as I was all the way through last season, but our plight could have been very different and I'm not willing to sing his praises too much just yet.

The biggest difference between our two sides of this discussion boils down to me talking about what did happen and you trying to discuss what ultimately didn't happen i.e. some hypothetical situation. If your scenario(s) had happened then he wouldn't be as good a judge or as good a manager and this discussion wouldn't be happening. On such fine lines are futures and reputations determined.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

What if Peter Withe had skied that ball?

[PauloBarnesi]

 

 

 

 

 

Best manager we have had in 30 years.

 

I'd actually say he is the best thing to happen to the club in 40 years.

 

I know where you're coming from, and the reasons behind your faith in Lambert. But I do think such optimism needs to be tempered by the fact that we spent the majority of last season thoroughly soiling ourselves at the specter of relegation. He hasn't done anything to justify such praise just yet, though he is certainly steering us in the right direction.

 

A necessary evil

 

 

Yes it was, and it paid off. But only just.

 

Lambert has still to elevate us above the levels attained by the much maligned messrs Houllier & messrs Mcleish. There are signs of a great future, but they need to be realised before we go overboard with the praise.

 

It is precisely because Lambert judged the scale of change to perfection and managed to change as much as he did while maintaining our league status that makes him such a good manager (in the literal sense) and judge. Yes it could have gone wrong, but ultimately it didn't, which means he was right; he was vindicated. We won't need to make that amount of change again un der him and he has made about 3 seasons worth of change in 1 season.

 

 

I see what you're saying BOF, but I do disagree to some extent. We can sit back and praise Lambert retrospectively because he just about got it right last season. But what if Gabby hadn't got that winner at Norwich and Wigan didn't inexplicably capitulate against Swansea? There was a big element of luck in our survival, and in my opinion we sailed a bit too close to the wind. I am fully behind his management, as I was all the way through last season, but our plight could have been very different and I'm not willing to sing his praises too much just yet.

 

 

You could equally say we had bad luck; late goals against us at Swansea, Baggies, Everton, etc. Dodgy decisions against us, such as that farcical penalty against the Saints. In the end doesn’t luck even it self up? 

[Shillzz]

 

I see what you're saying BOF, but I do disagree to some extent. We can sit back and praise Lambert retrospectively because he just about got it right last season. But what if Gabby hadn't got that winner at Norwich and Wigan didn't inexplicably capitulate against Swansea? There was a big element of luck in our survival, and in my opinion we sailed a bit too close to the wind. I am fully behind his management, as I was all the way through last season, but our plight could have been very different and I'm not willing to sing his praises too much just yet.

The biggest difference between our two sides of this discussion boils down to me talking about what did happen and you trying to discuss what ultimately didn't happen i.e. some hypothetical situation. If your scenario(s) had happened then he wouldn't be as good a judge or as good a manager and this discussion wouldn't be happening. On such fine lines are futures and reputations determined.

 

 

Indeed. From my point of view, I'd say that too much of our destiny was down to luck and the plight of others, rather than managerial skill. We didn't guarantee our future through our own endeavors, and that's what bothers me. The difference between us praising Lambert & Lerner and us calling for their heads could have come down to something as small as one result at the Emirates on a Tuesday night, completely outside of our control.

 

Despite this, I accept that there's a hell of a lot of luck behind any successful person. I think Lambert's had his share this season, it's time to crack on and determine our own success.