Blues boss Paul Lambert says he had a really good chat with owner Marcus Evans yesterday as he starts to formulate his plans for the January transfer window. TWTD revealed yesterday that Evans was at the club.

Lambert, speaking to Mark Murphy on BBC Radio Suffolk’s breakfast show, was asked whether he had anyone already in mind to come in in January.

“I’m trying to get Iniesta back from China, I need Ian [Milne] to speak to Marcus!” he joked. “It’s well-documented we need a little bit of help, without a doubt.

“But sometimes the best recruitment is not to bring anybody in because it upsets the applecart.

“We’re playing really well at the minute but that’s not to say you don’t look to see if somebody can help you. I'll only do it right, if it doesn’t put the club in a position and it doesn’t upset everything.”

He says he’s not one to make wholesale changes each window and he’s careful to bring in the right individuals.

“You can’t do it, it takes time to gel virtually a whole new team and plus you’ve so many different characters and you have to find out character-wise whether they’re going to come in here and upset everything or are they going to be good guys or not,” he said.

“You can’t have it [where people upset the dressing room], you can’t have it, it’s no good for the club or anybody and I think that’s important.

“In an ideal world you get to each transfer window and you bring a couple in rather than seven or eight, that’s far too many.”

Lambert reiterated that there are areas of his squad which need strengthening, most notably the attack where the Blues look short on numbers and experience.

He confirmed he met with Evans at Playford Road yesterday as well as Lee O’Neill, who we understand has taken on a more general football operations role while retaining his position as academy director.

“I think we’re unbalanced in a lot of areas if you look at it, that’s my own opinion, that’s no slight on anybody else’s,” he continued.

“I think we’re a little bit unbalanced in certain areas, we’re top heavy in some areas and we’re very, very light in other areas and if lads get injured or suspended we haven’t got the cover or the depth. So I think that’s something that needs to get fixed.

“But Marcus has been great. I had a really good chat with Marcus yesterday, and Lee, so we all know exactly where we want to go and know the strengths and weaknesses of it.”

Will Evans back him in January? “He’s been great, he’s been brilliant with me since I’ve been here. Now it’s up to us to drive the bus and get this place going.”

Lambert won the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund as a player leading to speculation that he might recruit from Germany.

Quizzed on whether that might be the case, he said: “Because I played there and had a successful time but I think what you’re seeing now is that the level of money has changed in the game and sometimes you have to look abroad to see what’s there as well.

“But they’ve got to be the right players for the club, you just can’t go and buy somebody that’s a really good player but is maybe a little bit difficult to manage. I don’t think that’s good for anybody. You have to get the right characters in the club and they have to want to be here. That’s important.”

Scotland has also been speculated as a source of affordable new recruits and Lambert says there are decent players in his homeland.

“Obviously you’ve got the big ones up there that are still strong but I think the Scottish game gets unfairly criticised at certain times,” he reflected.

“There are still one or two good players but whether you can get them nobody knows.

“But that’d up to me to try and see who I can actually get at the football club and try and get people into the football club that I think can do us a job.”

Photo: TWTD

midastouch added 11:18 - Nov 20 This guy talks way more sense than Hurst, McCarthy, Keane and Jewell combined! Even if we go down I hope we keep faith in PJ and give him a chance to get us straight back up again as he's done it before down there and with the right backing there's no reason why he can't do it again. I wasn't sure about Lambert but he's making all the right noises and winning me round fast. Hopefully all the positivity translates on to the pitch. Don't fancy the WBA game too much Friday night but I feel a lot more confident in our chances of getting some points in the weeks and months ahead than I ever did under Hurst!

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martin587 added 11:18 - Nov 20 Sounds very promising,exciting times head.🤞
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midastouch added 11:19 - Nov 20 * Meant PL not PJ. One PJ was quite enough!
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Suffolkboy added 11:21 - Nov 20 Every interview tells us a little bit more about PL , his attitude ,determination ,astute approach & on going obvious enthusiasms .How can we fail to be impressed and supportive ? Decisive changes will come in all aspects but only with careful judgement and a look to a prosperous footballing future ! More of the same , please ! COYB
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norfolkbluey added 11:34 - Nov 20 Midas touch who is PJ?!! Are you having a pyjamas party!! Seriously though I think everyone is in agreement that if we had had PL from the start we would not be in the same predicament as we are at the moment. I just hope we don't get farther adrift before the transfer window opens. Knowing this wiley Scot he will be spending some of his time now in looking at potential players to bring in already. The Bundesliga is full of excellent potential players! Better brush up on my German skills!!

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dirtydingusmagee added 11:41 - Nov 20 think we are going to regret not getting Paul Lambert in earlier, this man certainly ticks the boxes for me, Hope and pray Evans listens and keeps his end up, he could just have found a good manager at last. Worrying times at moment and could still go t#ts up this season, but i hope Paul Lambert is in it for the long haul . I feel really optimistic for future now.

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RobTheMonk added 11:45 - Nov 20 I'm really looking forward to seeing who Lambert brings in!
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midastouch added 12:03 - Nov 20 @ Suffolkboy, PJs have been an essential at Portman Road for the last few managers as the tactics of all of them since Magic have sent me to sleep! That is aside from a few good times such as the Play Off season under Mick - mostly up till Xmas that season (went off the rails a bit after Xmas) - and such as when we had Ryan Fraser, oh and the League Cup semi run. Apart from those fleeting moments my alarm clock has pretty much been on snooze at PR the rest of the time, sad but true! I'm hoping PL will wake me up with some more exciting football as we've been starved for years now!

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midastouch added 12:10 - Nov 20 And hopefully PL can unearth a Ryan Fraser sort from across the border, I wouldn't mind smashing down Hadrian's Wall for that! There was another target we missed out on from Scotland not long ago (might of been the guy from Hearts, can't remember who exactly), didn't mind the sound of him. Not sure how he's doing but I do think there are a few players up there that might surprise a few in this league.

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midastouch added 12:14 - Nov 20 And it's goes without saying we've had a few cracking players come down from there before (think Wark, Brazil and Burley to name just a few!) and rip it up here, so why not try it again! PL probably knows more about the Scottish leagues than any of us so hopefully he can bring down gem or two to win our hearts like some of those old Scottish legends from yesteryear.

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rugbytomc added 12:38 - Nov 20 I actually think McCarthy's recruitment, on the face of it, was pretty solid. It appears from the outside that he wasn't given much of a budget and also that the sale of Murphy without replacing him, was a decision taken out of his hands by the owner. He also had some good success with loan signings - Lawrence, Fraser and Celina in particular and Maitland-Niles did ok at times too. So for me, what Lambert is saying is all positive and encouraging and I just hope that the owner supports him financially better than he did McCarthy (if that indeed was the case). Little lesson from Lambert to Hurst in there isn't there "In an ideal world you get to each transfer window and you bring a couple in rather than seven or eight, that's far too many". We know Graham's loan is ending. I would expect Edun to follow. Pennington and probably Chalobah to stay, Walters is up. Donacien joins if his work permit comes through. So some wages freed up. Think he'll look to add a centre back and right back. Hope he can get something out of Nolan, Jackson, Donacien and Nsiala as I don't see them having much if any sell on value at the moment.

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ArnieMsBigToe added 13:25 - Nov 20 I learnt all my German from captain Hurricane in the comic Valiant if I remember correctly Gotten Himmel !! Achtung Spitfire. Ah. . . those were the days . . .
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Orraman added 13:33 - Nov 20 It has been so uplifting to see the dramatic improvement in all things surrounding ITFC since PL's arrival but can't help thinking what the reaction would have been back in July when so many names were being suggested as to who the next manager would be if Paul Lambert's name had been put in the frame!!!. I reckon the amount of anguished responses would have broken all records on this site. I feel very confident that the revival will continue, we will soon reach a place of safety and continue to enjoy a brand of football that has been alien to us for so long. If we were currently five points clear at the top, no one would be saying we would win the league so why should five points adrift see us go down. COYB

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Pilgrimblue added 13:50 - Nov 20 We're in a separate competition with the bottom 6 so while 5 points adrift is a bad starting position I feel with PL aboard we'll get more points than most leaving us finishing say 19th and then getting ready for 19/20. Optimistic maybe but sure PL can do it
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Kingfisher49 added 14:02 - Nov 20 When PL walked through the door to become the Manager I think he felt a cold breeze of player unrest, supporters sounding out their anger and bad comments along with a general apathy around the place and in the local press and social media. So being a wise man he has tried his best to lift players morale, be very open with the supporters and the press and the feel good factor is now seeing the breeze becoming a warmer one. PL has no doubt learnt from his own mistakes as a Manager and he has not spoken badly about any of his predecessors. He is quietly going about his business, keeping everyone informed and on his side and I think results will follow in the weeks ahead. It may even be that ME can now see that the club is worth investing more in as he has a good Manager to get returns for his money. The support towards our youth players gives them all a lift and a pathway to follow towards the first team. ITFC has a proud history of giving youth a chance and that is the way forwards. Thanks for your positive start PL and good luck in the weeks ahead.

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rugbytomc added 14:58 - Nov 20 I would add Kingfisher in what little i've seen on the pitch since his arrival, the players look more confident, especially on the ball. Whilst i don't expect form on the pitch to improve overnight nor for Lambert to work miracles, I've certainly seen enough to feel a bit more optimistic - and that's even with Spence playing right back!
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TimmyH added 15:10 - Nov 20 I'm pretty certain he'll have money from Evans in January to spend...how much though?, upfront we defo need more quality. Personally I'd like a quality CB and striker, and box to box midfielder.
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PortmanTerrorist added 16:02 - Nov 20 Surely some of PHs signings will come good, but it is sad to agree that we need help up top in defence and (as always) out wide. Woolfy and Josh coming back, and clearly being good enough for at least a look in, may save us a few quid, but we need something special in the final 3rd. PH made mistakes and certainly one of them was wasting a Prem loan option on a CDM/CB player like Chalobah. MM knew that in a poor squad, a sprinkling of Prem stardust could be crucial e.g. Fraser, Lawrence etc. PL presumably has the contacts that regretfully, Ph may never have.

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BobbyBell added 16:08 - Nov 20 I was impressed that PL wanted to meet our stars from the 70s / 80s but how about the players meeting them. Surely Warky could give a few tips on how to find space and take a gamble on the ball arriving. Butcher and Mills would give some defensive advise. I think if I was a player and those guys were around the club I'd be wanting to talk with them as much as possible.

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aas1010 added 16:50 - Nov 20 What about Cameron ( cammy Smith) st mirren ??
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 17:14 - Nov 20 All good comments on here. Great stuff guys. I would add that I think actually there is much that is right about the club at the moment, particularly the academy. PL has a great canvas to work on apart from the league position. We've just got to stay up somehow. Anyhow.
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runningout added 17:40 - Nov 20 found PL very dull when seen and heard at previous clubs. Seems to have been energised recently. It's a shame it's got to a stage when we will feel relieved WHEN we stay in this winnable league
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Warkys_Tash added 20:44 - Nov 20 If I see any posts mentioning the R word from now until the end of the season I will auto down vote. We need positivity. Like PL says, its only 5 points. Lets make Pr a hard place to come and get amongst teams like West Brom, they are not invincible. We need to strengthen in the full back areas too as we are weak in both, the last time we had two good overlapping full backs we made the play-offs. MIngs & Parr.

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rdibble added 21:12 - Nov 20 I like the way Lambert conducts himself and he is saying all the right things hopefully this will be backed up with some wins ASAP although i think goals will be hard to come by until the transfer window opens but he has my full backing ITFC til i die...
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rgp1 added 22:49 - Nov 20 I really like what he says and does, however if wins don't come soon he'll need fire extinguishers and not new players.
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