Lambert: Everybody at the Club is Suffering
Wednesday, 4th Mar 2020 00:38 Boss Paul Lambert admitted everyone at Town is suffering after the Blues fell to a dismal 1-0 home defeat to Fleetwood at a late press conference having spoken to his players at length in the dressing room after the match.
Sub Ched Evans netted the only goal of the match five minutes before half-time with the Blues rarely looking like getting back on terms as the Portman Road crowd turn hostile towards Lambert and owner Marcus Evans with Town’s promotion ambitions now looking in tatters.
“Everybody’s suffering, without a doubt everybody’s suffering, the whole football club, supporters, players, staff. Everybody’s suffering, press guys because the club’s not winning,” Lambert said.
“The first half, I don’t think was good enough. The second half was better, we had a few chances to get a goal back, but it never happened.
“They controlled the game in the first half, I don’t think we penetrated enough in the first half, so we changed it in the second.
“We lost our whole midfield from Saturday due to injury and suspension, which didn’t help us. Young Brett [McGavin] had to come in and did well, he was drafted in this morning.
“But the club, we have to win games, the expectancy level is huge on us, and we’re finding that hard to deal with.”
Lambert had said it was a must-win game and with nine games left he knows time is running out for the Blues.
“We have to win now. We have to win most of the games, we have to win to give us any sort of chance to get in that play-off,” he conceded.
“But you never quit, you never give in, you’ve always got to get that feeling, when adversity hits you you have to come through it.
“They might not feel like it at the minute but when they do come through it they’ll be better players for it, especially the younger guys. Even the older guys, they’ve taken a helluva lot of responsibility on their shoulders.
“Because the weight [of the pressure] to win a title is totally different from just trying to stay in another league. The difference between going to win something and having to try and win something is totally different from mid-table.”
Lambert and the squad were roundly booed at the end when they walked to salute the Sir Bobby Robson Stand but regardless of the reception the Blues boss believes it was important for his players to acknowledge the supporters.
“Even though they weren’t having it, they have to go and appreciate the support,” he continued. “We have to appreciate the support. As I said before, you have to appreciate the support, the support comes in its numbers to win, you have to take it.
“As I said to the lads, ‘Take it, what’s happening at the minute, and come through it. As long as you never, ever quit, that is the most important thing. Don’t quit, because you’ll come through it’. Whenever that is that they come through it, one month, two months, three months, four years, five years. If you come through it, you’re a better player for it.”
Regarding the crowd reaction, he added: “It’s not the first time I’ve ever had that in my life. From a footballer’s point of view, I’ve played for massive clubs where your life, not just the football, your life was under scrutiny.
“The pressure at the clubs I’ve played with was astronomical, your life was under scrutiny, not just on the football pitch. For me as a person, I can handle nearly most things.”
But he admits his players aren’t as used to it: “They’re not, you’re 100 per cent right. For some of them it’s the first time it’s happened to them. The first time they’ve experienced this suffering and what it’s like.
“But when you do come through it you’ll be 100 times a better player because you’ll know what to expect when you don’t perform, especially when you’re at a big club.
“And you’re right what you’re saying, it’s the first time of asking for some of those guys. When you’re going for a title or you’re expected to win a title, it doesn’t matter what league you’re in, the pressure is totally different from staying in a league. Totally different.
“Survival is different, sitting in mid-table is totally different but when you’re asked to go and win a title or promotion, it’s a totally different thing, especially if you’ve not experienced it before and if you’ve not been able to handle it before. It’s a totally different make-up.
“And with a fanbase that’s big, you have to get a mindset that’s strong, a strong mentality, be strong-willed through adversity, through good times, even when you do well and you get the praise, let it go, you get criticised, let it go.
“Never ever dwell on it because if you keep on dwelling on things good or bad, if you dwell on things that are good, you might think you’ve arrived. If you dwell on things when you’re bad, it takes you under.
“We’ve got young guys in there who are experiencing for the first time, older guys experiencing it for the first time. So, it’s totally, totally, totally different.”
He says players learn through adversity: “You have to. That’s what makes you as a footballer, that’s what makes you as a person. When you come through these sorts of thing, it does make you better, because I’ve been through it.
“I’ve been through it as a player, I’ve been through it as a manager. One thing you never do is give in, you’ve still got to keep going.”
Town’s form has seen them win just four of their last 24 in all competitions over 90 minutes, a record which Lambert accepts is far from good enough.
“Absolutely, but you asked me that last week, so it’s exactly the same answer I’ll give you,” he reflected. “It’s not good enough that, for the football club. It’s not good enough for the football club to get relegated from the Championship. That wasn’t good enough.
“It wasn’t good enough for the football club to get relegated but that’s where it is and you can’t change that. The club should be 100 times better than it is at this moment, without a doubt.”
Asked how big a failure it would be not to make the top six, he added: “It’s huge but, as I said before, even at the start of the season we never had a divine right to say we were going to bounce back up. All I said was that we’d give it a right good go and that it would be really, really tough.
“The guys haven’t experienced this type of football before a lot of them. The guys are young.
“The level of expectancy is huge. The only way to deal with that is through experience. They have to experience what they’re going through because it’s not just going to be given to them. They have to experience it.
“But everybody suffers with it. And when you do suffer with it and you do turn the tide, then don’t forget what the feeling’s like because it’s always round the corner.”
Will Keane said on Monday that the players were letting Lambert down, does he believe the players are playing for him at present?
“I think you’re looking for unbelievable negativity with it all,” the Town boss responded. “All I can say is the guys give me everything in training, they do everything I can ever ask of them.
“When they go over the white line they have to go and play. One thing I’ll never do is chastise the players because I know how hard the game is.
“The guys are giving everything they’ve got, they’re busting a gut to try and turn it around. But, as I said, I’ll back them to the hilt, the guys, never chastise them. Yes, we don’t play well, we lose, but I’ll never, ever criticise them.”
At the end as they made their way from the Sir Bobby Robson Stand end back towards the tunnel, Lambert was consoling skipper Luke Chambers who looked distraught.
“Because Luke has been here for a long, long time and the young guys will feel it but so will those guys, the experienced guys, they’ll feel it as well,” Lambert explained.
“It’ll be a new thing for Luke as well, so it’s important that those guys don’t have the feeling just like the young guys because the experienced guys are going through the exact same thing the young guys are going through.
“You can see how disappointed they are, the older guys. We were without eight first team players injured and suspended today and Freddie and Bish just coming back as well and not quite ready to start two games but the two of them did well when they came on.
“But when you wipe out your midfield from Saturday, that’s a big chunk of your team. But we have to win games, I’m not disputing that at all.
“We haven’t performed. Two months ago we were in the top six, had never come out of it from the start. We were top at the end of January.
“Again, the expectance level and I knew this would happen, once guys started to see the finishing line and they get ramped up and ramped up, they have to handle that.
“This club will always have this, that’s not going to go away, it’s always going to have that, it’s always going to have a fanbase.
“As I said before, you have to take the criticism when it comes and you have to take the praise when it comes, but never get too carried away with either of them because the criticism does unbelievably hurt but what you do is you bag it up and once the tide turns, you have to throw it back and hopefully that’s what will happen.”
Does he feel he’s capable of turning it around, the poor run of form having stretched back to November.
“Yes, I’ve been through adversity before,” he insisted. “As I’ve said, the guys give us everything. We have to start to win, that’s not rocket science, we have to start to win games.
“Fleetwood, that attack can score, it was a similar goal against Oxford on that side and we got caught.
“The second half was slightly better because we had chances and Freddie came on and gave us a little bit of impetus on that front. But you’re asking Freddie who has been out for just over a year, the lad hasn’t played many games.
“He did great at Blackpool but I couldn’t really risk him to go again tonight but 45 minutes will have done him the world of good.”
Regarding Cole Skuse and Emyr Huws’s absences and their chances of being fit for Saturday, he said: “Cole was a strange one because we never knew until after the game, and he never knew until after the game that he had a gash in his shin and needed stitches in it, so we couldn’t take the risk with that in case it opened up and got an infection.
“Emyr was right out of the blue this morning with his toe. He went for an x-ray this morning with his toe, so that was a major blow as well. And we have Flynn suspended.
“That was the whole midfield from Saturday, so hopefully we’ll get one or two back on Saturday.
“Kane Vincent-Young’s not too far away, same with Danny Rowe but they’ve been out for a long, long time.
“The bonus is Freddie and Bish coming back and getting more game time. Is that too little, too late? I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see how those guys come through.”
Lambert was asked if he’d seen owner Marcus Evans after the match: “I saw him before the game. I didn’t see him after it. I very rarely see him afterwards because he leaves early or he’s with people but I always speak to him after [matches later on]. I’ll speak to him later tonight or tomorrow, which I always do.”
Asked about the chants and Blue Action banners bearing the words unambitious, underfunded, underachieving and unacceptable in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand, Lambert said: “I don’t like seeing things like that to anybody, I don’t think it’s conducive to help everybody, it’s not nice.
“As I said before, if Marcus Evans wasn’t here and there was nobody going to take the club on, where does the club go? What actually happens to it? Same as Bury maybe? I don’t know. Maybe.
“He’s been here 12 years and I don’t know what level he’s put in. One hundred million? I don’t know. People say you don’t own a football club but that’s not the answer.
“As I say, everybody suffers. One guy is to blame or this guy’s to blame, through the years there’s not one blame attached to anybody, this happens, [at] football clubs, it happens.
“As I said before, Sheffield United were in this division for five years, Nottingham Forest have been in it, Leeds United have been in it, Southampton. And some of them it wasn’t the first time of asking, it can take time but you have to take the hit when you’re in it.
“But the thing is that you have to stick everything together and you have to get recruitment and everything right to bounce back up.
“The lads need a little bit of help, there’s no two ways about it, they need a little bit of help.”
Photo: TWTD
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delias_cheesy_flaps added 07:28 - Mar 4
There it is again Lambert “I've played for some massive clubs” how many firkin times are you going to trot that old pony out. You certainly didn't learn fake all from you “massive club” managers, that is abundantly obvious!! |  | |
smurfsareblue added 07:32 - Mar 4
Really dont Know what to say. Missed tonights game out of choice. If truly we were missing the whole midfield then what choice did PL have. We are also missing 2 centre forwards too. Watched most home games this year and simply even when we were top we were not playing well and did not expect to end up in top 6. Feel a little for the manager as the players we have are not good enough.
Defense......Woolife is a good player and will benefit from this year. DO NOT SELL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Donacian get rid. Chambers sorry mate this should be your last season. Coaching role perhaps. Wilson and Earl Ok but need a new Centre back.
Midfield. Huws Bishop Dozell Dozell Rowe keep get rid of rest
Forward line Jackson Sears keep and get rid of rest. NEED NEW CENTRE BACK ROCK. NEED NEW CENTRE MID AND NEW CENTRE FORWARD. Spine of the team missing. |  | |
londontractorboy57 added 07:33 - Mar 4
The Buck stops with the players until the fans accept this simple FACT this club is only going one way PLAYERS WIN MATCHES!!!!! |  | |
Batman1957 added 07:44 - Mar 4
Spot on BildestonBlue
I to heard the Barton interview and I just wished I was hearing that from an ITFC manager.
Lambert is to easily out thought, just doesn't know and or indeed have the ability to change things.
We are all football managers with differing views but its been blatantly obvious now to everyone (except 88 from last night) that he has lost it and doesn't know how to fix it and if Evans cannot see that and the further damage Lambert could do before the season is out then he really does not have the heart and best intentions for our once proud but currently laughable Club. | | |
carlgibbs13 added 07:48 - Mar 4
Should the 3 teams directly below us win their games in hand, we will be 12th.
Come on Paul, is this acceptable?
I appreciate Evans doesn't invest, but we have by far the best squad in this league. PL is the reason we are falling, not ME.
There are managers out there who can work with this lot and get much better results.
Lambert Out!!! |  | |
Help added 07:51 - Mar 4
Sadly this season is a reflection of a typical Lambert game. Good for one half, awful the other. Unfortunately every manager ME has appointed cannot be rubbish, or can they. This club needs sorting out from the top down. ME needs people who know about football. Not even Warnock could turn this club around. With the lack of resources at his disposal the task would probably kill him, at his age. Let's face it the ambition of ME is to be in a league he can afford. He could not afford to be in the Championship, so we are in league 1. Can he afford to be an average team in League 1, more likely.
There is no ambition from the top and that reflects in the club. At least ME will be able to save money next year. With the lack of support he will be able to close one of the stands as he will only need three open at a maximum, so saving stewards, police, ticket and bar staff, and utility costs |  | |
Tractorboy1985 added 07:51 - Mar 4
Should have never been appointed in the first place... was never going to work being ex Norwich.. look at Andy marshall! The man has been a total failure everywhere he's been after he lost culverhouse as his number 2! Culverhouse On the brink of back to back promotions with my local team having very little money! The football is far more structured too than the dross at Portman road! It's so predictable.. along the back 3/4 where we are hurting no one.. to the midfield player.. back it comes... then punted into the sky aimlessly looking for a striker! So easy to defend! I don't think these youngsters are no where as good as some people think and we are now seeing that! However with a good manager he would have at least got this squad comfortably in the top 6! Lambert should go as he's totally inept but I give up going at all with a new manager as we still have the same problem at the very top.... MARCUS EVANS!! Destroying Ipswich Town since 2007!!! | | |
DoseOfReality added 08:13 - Mar 4
Lamberts honest & scathing assessment of the pub when he arrived was refreshing.
Calling Evans bluff in signing Vincent-Young was encouraging.
Accepting a gagging order with a 5 yr contract was Evans making sure he wasn't called out in public again & shows Lambert for what he is .. journeyman poor manager full of bluff & ready to take the money above the principals he spouts off about
Pub is rotten to the core | | |
bobble added 08:15 - Mar 4
its clear we need a burley or butcher, not these journeymen has beens.. |  | |
DoseOfReality added 08:15 - Mar 4
That's club btw not pub (twice) .. although we're run more like a pub team | | |
therein61 added 08:20 - Mar 4
63 minutes into a must win home game before we make the opposition keeper work is utterly disgraceful |  | |
BobbyBell added 08:28 - Mar 4
Don't worry guys we have a long term plan. It's not the same 5 year plan we were told about when ME bought the club or any of the subsequent 5 year plans. This is a new and exciting one. YAWN!!!!!!! | | |
aloanagain added 08:47 - Mar 4
There will be another 5 year plan soon to keep the season tickets flowing. Most going on about playing the younger players but they are not good enough in a team together, 1 or 2 here and there is fine. Why do other clubs play better football than us? It is so frustrating, don't expect to win every game, to see an attacking Ipswich team would be a start. | | |
martin587 added 09:07 - Mar 4
The b**l s**t we get from PL is just unbelievable.Excuse after excuse and still the end result goes the wrong way.His win ratio must be one of the worst in all the leagues and still he remains on a five year contract Berger's belief.His comments of “I played for this and that team and know what pressure is like” is total rubbish.It means nothing who you once played for it's all about the results you achieve and in your case It's non existent.Len Brennan is spot on with his comments except I have a much stronger word for PL which is not printable on this page.
In all the time PL has been at this club he in all honesty has achieved virtually nothing and we the supporters have given you EVERYTHING.You wonder why we have turned on you after the rubbish you churn out week after week.I'm usually not this critical of my club or players but the team you put out last night was unreal.A game we HAD to win and it back fired on your team selection.It was only when Sears and Bish came on that we started to show a bit of a fight.
It appears to all that you PL have lost the dressing room and you will not get it back now the players heads are down and YOU are not the man to lift them.May I suggest the best thing for the club is for you to walk away today.
You have made me and thousands of loyal supporters deeply upset at the way this season has turned out and the possibility of anther season in league one.Just do the right thing PL before you loose your pride altogether.Enough said other that you have made me really p****d off.😡 |  | |
rugbytomc added 09:12 - Mar 4
I do feel like the current squad of players and those available game to game (injuries, suspensions, fitness all play a valid part) could be playing better.
However, it's no coincidence this bad run of form coincided with KVY getting injured after such an invigorating start to his Town career. I also think the squad is not balanced and not good enough to be in the top 6. Yes we have some very good players - but not enough in the right positions and not the right kind of players for this division. It's horses for courses. Just look at Sheff Utd - and countless other teams actually - a player can get you promoted (Billy Sharp) but that doesn't mean he's the right player for the next league. Well what we really needed this year was a set of giant centre backs and a forward who can win headers and hold the ball up or knock it down for our plethora of quick midfielders to get on to. We sadly have neither.
I would try and sell a lot of our midfielders in the summer and raise funds through sales of Downes and Woolfenden (sadly as would love to keep them but reality bites) and redress the balance of the squad - whoever the manager is.
If I was Evans - I'd be coming out now saying he backs Lambert and will support him to change the squad in the summer - else why give him a 5 year contract right? That doesn't mean to say I want Lambert to stay - but I do think the club needs stability. So either get rid now and panic bring someone in with an outside/slim chance of making the play offs or stick with him and back him and maybe his demeanor improves and the team improves. I'd keep Chambers and Skuse - useful players at times but good for the players coming through - ideally though they'd be squad players not starters though but that would require us to bring in better players! | | |
r2d2 added 09:32 - Mar 4
Just go Lambert. You are clueless. The players are overpaid t0ssers. The owner is a grubby little business man who shouldnt be anywhere near a football club. All of you just do one. |  | |
Pezzer added 09:34 - Mar 4
Mostly self- inflicted Paul. There seems to be very little evidence of coaching, strategy and game planning in place, more like pic n mix and hope the players will work something out on the pitch. | | |
PortmanTerrorist added 09:43 - Mar 4
Logic is being lost.
Sears coming on in 90th minute previous home game
Dobra not being given game time for weeks
Dropping our best defender (Woolfy) and playing our worst (Chambo)
Picking Keane when we need goals + When he is the least instinctive striker I have ever seen
Holding back players after injury but playing McGavin after his
Yanking McGavin off at half time on debut
This not pessimism but this season is over, let's focus on KVY and others getting fit rather than minutes, and try and work out who will still be here next season and go from there with or without PL. | | |
Dockerblue added 09:58 - Mar 4
Tractorboy1985, you are spot on. I have posted on here previously the fact that Lambert hasn't done anything as a manager since he had Culverhouse as his No2. Quite what Stuart Taylor & Matt Gill bring to the party l,m not quite sure but l would suggest if Evan's does keep Lambert here he needs to change his backroom team. Maybe even bring in Culverhouse, don,t think the players would be having an easy ride with him! Failing that bold move, bring Terry Butcher into the 1st team training set-up.well we could probably play Butch at the moment, he,d still be head and shoulders above our current No4! Another thing, why does Lambert persist with Captain Calamity? Last night,s goal against yet again not dealt with by the undroppable one, same as the last 2 games. I will not pay to watch my team, the club I,ve followed home & away and in Europe since 1964 while that over-rated clown is in the team week in week out, he as much as Evans or whatever manager we have is to blame for the sorry state our once great club is in. | | |
ITFCsince73 added 10:07 - Mar 4
Until the club get shot of Mick ma,s 2 special blokes there will never be improvement.
Bit difficult as both contracted, and both highly paid.
And just like the last 8 years, no takers.
Wonder why? Both have far to much influence at the club.
And clearly that influence has led to failure.
Another year of the gruesome twosome will lead to L2 I fear.
| | |
TimmyH added 10:16 - Mar 4
If Lambert had any dignity and sincerity after bigging up the club, it's history and fan base when he first came here he should know in his heart of hearts he now should resign if the club is to move forwards...the litmus test as I have been going on about was this season for him and particularly New Year onwards and PL isn't just failing but failing miserably. |  | |
Henrietta_R_Hippo added 10:20 - Mar 4
Bravo Martin!
I.E. for your post here 09.07 (Always read you posts and recaps but this one was especially worthwhile & interesting for me. Smiling).
You are one of the most unwavering faithful & travelling EVERYWHERE EVERY game fans we have as members of this site ... and I certainly get why you not only seldom throw blame around to individuals employed at this club, but moreover also very rarely -- amidst your ever recurring disillusions & having been let-down-emotions immediately after the final whistle -- "lose control" of yourself , and particularly your lingo!, when posting .
But NOW apparently even you my good sir have had more of enough of Public Relation stuntman Paul & his hollow biweekly self-administered eargasms.
Eargasms really solely intended for the "Audience of 2" mind you! I.E. his very own when in public self-assurance ...and then of course putting on display same said broken record sounding & lame self-assurance to his even more football clueless (than himself) boss! |  | |
ITFCsince73 added 10:21 - Mar 4
I could have put more pressure on their goalscorer last night.
And I'm 50 years young.
A pathetic attempt by our skipper.
Looked edgy and out his depth all night.
Even the most naive of opposition manger, would single out Chambo to exploit.
No quality playing, no quality leading.
Look at his win % stats. Abysmal is putting it mildly. And at least another season of this nonsense to come. | | |
Razor added 10:26 - Mar 4
It would help matters if we had a decent keeper at the club-----how many points have been lost due to keeping errors this season!? | | |
Kickingblock added 10:31 - Mar 4
Everybody watching the games is suffering too! |  | |
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