Blues boss Paul Lambert appears to have called into question whether he will be at Portman Road next season.
Lambert and owner Marcus Evans released a joint-statement in January to confirm that the Scot, who took charge in late October following Paul Hurst’s sacking signing a three-year deal, would be staying on regardless of which division the Blues found themselves in next season and it would be a surprise if the situation has changed.
Evans's position is not believed to have changed and we understand the club firmly expect Lambert to still be at Portman Road for a 2019/20 campaign which will almost certainly be in League One.
Further to that, Lambert has stated on a number of occasions that he wants to be the man to rebuild Town using the young players coming through the academy and has also already begun preparations for a pre-season trip to Germany.
Lambert hasn't been tipped for any other jobs since taking over at Town, although his former club Celtic will be after a new permanent boss in the summer with Neil Lennon in temporary charge since Brendan Rodgers's departure. Lambert is currently a 20-1 outsider for the job with the bookies.
However, speaking to Radio Suffolk in his regular post-match interview (39mins 47secs), Lambert appeared to suggest that that he might not necessarily be the Blues' manager next season.
Asked whether he felt it was fair that some fans are questioning his record with Town having won only two of his 25 games in charge, Lambert said: "Of course it is, that’s results. If the club don’t want me to stay here, there’s no problem I’ll go, it’s not an issue. I don’t have any issue whatsoever.
"The club’s more important than me, it’s more important than any individual. The club will outlive everybody, so if the club want to me to go at the end of the season, I don’t have a problem. None.
"But what I would say is that being here and being the manager of the club, it’s an unbelievable club to manage.
"So, whoever gets the job at the end of the season if I’m not here, you’ve got an incredible club behind you, you’ve got an incredible support behind you, so there’s no problem for me.”
Questioned on whether he was still fully confident he’ll turn things around given time, which Evans is almost certain to give him, Lambert added: "Wait and see what happens at the end of the season, what’s going to happen’s going to happen. I know in my own head what’s going to happen but wait and see but what I will say is if I’m not here, then I’m proud to be the manager here because those fans deserve unbelievable football.”
Asked to clarify that he wants to be at Town next season, Lambert responded: "I told you, wait and see what’s going to happen, and that’s me being honest with everybody. I love the club, I love the support, it’s fantastic.
"Listen, I’ve been at massive clubs, huge clubs that have won the highest honours and I’ve played in front of great atmospheres, at great stadia, great fans. Ipswich is up there, 100 per cent they’re up there and what a place to get your football right, that’s for sure.”
When it was suggested a change of manager at Town in the summer would be crazy with the club requiring stability, Lambert added: "Listen, I’m too long in the tooth to think you can rest. Football is a great game for kicking somewhere where you don’t want it.
"I’ve been involved in the highest owners and clubs, the highest everything. Marcus Evans is a brilliant guy, the club’s in a good place with what could happen because of the young ones it’s got and the support it’s got behind it, and that’s the main [thing].
"The most important people aren’t me, it’s the supporters and the players. I want what’s best for the football club and the record of not winning games is absolutely not good enough, we’ve drawn too many games. But playing football-wise we’ve been exciting.
"As I said before, I was at an ex-players’ dinner last night and when you talk about legends at the football club, they were all there in abundance and it shows you how much it means to everybody.”