Blues manager Paul Lambert says there was never any doubt in his mind that he would be staying at Portman Road beyond the end of the season no matter how the final months of the season pan out.

Last week, Lambert and owner Marcus Evans released a joint-statement confirming that the 49-year-old Scot and his staff will remain with the Blues after the campaign ends whether Town are in the Championship or drop into League One.

“I really enjoy it here and it was never in doubt that I’d get to the end of the season, good, bad or indifferent, [and decide if] I’d go or I’d stay,” he said. “I had it in my own head that there wasn’t really a question to answer.

“I could hear the rumblings of ‘what’s going to happen’ but I wasn’t going to think about what I was going to do [in the summer].

“I want to stay here because I think it’s a great club with with a great fanbase behind it and I just have a feeling that if you get this right here and you get it the way you want to do it and you do what’s right for the football club, not what’s right for me, it’s what’s right for the football club and the town, you get that behind you and it’s going to be an incredible ride.

“You fasten your seatbelt, whatever way the ride goes it’ll be fun, it’ll be a helluva ride with it if we get given the time to do it and the licence to go and try and build this club the right way.

“No ‘ad hoc-ing’, no cutting corners, nothing. I want to be here, I want to try and drive it but I need everybody in the town behind us to go and do it. That was the big reason. I could see so many good things here.”

Lambert, who signed a three-year contract when he took charge in October, admits he’s become fed up of short spells at clubs with his stints at Stoke, Wolves and Blackburn all lasting less than a year and his last pre-season coming back in the summer of 2014 when in charge of Saturday’s opponents Aston Villa.

“I’m sick of of trying to help and then things [not happening long term],” he added. “I’m sick of that. I don’t love football that much to keep going through that every single year.

“I love the game and I love everything about it but if I don’t think it’s right and it’s not enjoyable [I won’t do it]. I want to enjoy it. I enjoy it here, I enjoy the people here, they’ve made me really welcome. I enjoy everything that’s here.

“As I said, whatever is going to happen is going to happen, but I’ll make this place vibrant again, that’s for sure.”

Photo: TWTD

martin587 added 17:52 - Jan 24 Wonderful commitment.Thank you Paul.
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ITFCsince73 added 18:52 - Jan 24 Great to hear. But like most, especially in football it seems, if a better offer comes in. He'll be off.
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JDAndCoke added 18:53 - Jan 24 Believe every word too. Love the passion and commitment he's got. I'm strapped in and ready
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calvin added 20:16 - Jan 24 My seatbelt is fastened and ready
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Cakeman added 20:21 - Jan 24 Great to read that he wants to be here for the long haul. Strangely enough, although we are are bottom of the division I have still enjoyed the entertainment and enthusiasm being shown at matches since Paul Lambert arrived. Obviously results have been poor but everything else is positive with our club very slowly recovering from several years of neglect. Unfortunately we may not have reached the bottom yet and it may get worse before we can finally say we are on the up again.

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armchaircritic59 added 22:36 - Jan 24 Great to hear a manager who appears to have a genuine "feeling" for the club. It's true, things might get worse before they get any better, but there's a wise and true saying that goes "The darkest hour is just before dawn". Buckle up and go where the ride takes us people!
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