The changed football landscape meant that clubs like Norwich could never again compete at the very top of the English game on equal terms. But, there are no other clubs exactly like Norwich, with fans who stay so loyal and so passionate in the third tier. Certainly there are no managers quite like Paul Lambert…
“People say staying up is success, and I can understand that and agree but I don’t want the players to think that is enough. I want to drive them on. Sir Alex Ferguson must have a bad back, from lifting trophies but he still wants more. So I want to be at that sharp end, where you can win things.”
Those who warned that he would need men with Premier League experience in the top division should think about the Sunderland defence who were so bemused and confused as Norwich City constructed that Barcelona-esque second goal against them…
I don’t expect anyone – not one person – to agree with this column, but if I only write populist stuff on this site, I’d there would be no point in contributing. You can get your fill of one-eyed jingoism on message boards….
De Laet will be one of the Premier League’s top performers this season. I saw enough of him in pre-season to be certain of that. He is a pro-active defender, blisteringly quick, intelligent and with a healthy hatred of ceding an inch.
“It will be extremely tough, we know that, and I’m not going to make a rash prediction but we are going to enjoy it and if we can stay in the league it will be incredible…” Lambert tells FourFourTwo Magazine.
I spoke to Worthy recently. He was full of praise for Lambert and genuinely full of hope and support for Norwich. But he believes that, if he had been allowed to buy Dean Ashton in the summer instead of in the January, City would have stayed up. The board, at that time, reasoned differently. They wanted funds in reserve for the January window.
The fact that Lambert’s City have never suffered back-to-back defeats is not a statistical anomaly or a happy co-incidence. And all those last-gasp goals were not a fluke or a freak. Lambert’s City bounce back from reverses and don’t know when they are beaten because of sort of players he signs and the positive changes he makes when a win is still possible.
In the five years I have contributed to this website I have tried to use my columns to address long-term, strategic issues. This time, indulge me. I need to write about one game: one moment in the long history of a famous club from a fine city. Strewth, it was magnificent…
I thought City’s display at Barnsley was a new high-point, because the team put in the hard yards to make their dominance total. But that marvellous manifestation of Lambert’s ethos was eclipsed by the splendour of what occurred at the Walkers.
Thank you kindly, Mr Holt. You and your ilk have been an inspiration; I have a ball at my feet again…
What do back-to-back away wins tell us about Paul Lambert’s Canaries? That we’re not a Blackpool. Simple as.
Warnock’s sudden exit reveals the true nature of the Premiership beast. Right now, Lambert’s eyes can remain fixed on the future…
The January transfer window is always a very testing numbers game. This one, I strongly suspect, will be more testing than most…
Hand on heart, could 2011 have been a happier year for the Canary faithful? Fingers crossed, 2012 will be equally fruitful…
City warm the Norfolk cockles with 2-0 Bolton success this afternoon. Up to ninth, folks…
Lambert first to admit that the Canaries were well beaten tonight as Marvellous Martin drives his Black Cats ever on
Lambert does indeed get his deadline day man as Posh centre-half Bennett follows Russell Martin across the Fens
Lambert eyeing one last-gasp dip into the January transfer window as deadline day brings its usual fare of dashed hopes and denials
Canaries handed something of a peach by way of a fifth-round FA Cup draw; Leicester City (h) is all Lambert could have asked for
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