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Lambert: It's an Absolute Disgrace
Tuesday, 19th May 2020 23:54

Blues boss Paul Lambert has doubled down on his criticism of the EFL for a lack of leadership, branding the current indecision regarding the future of League One “an absolute disgrace”. The Town manager added that he doesn’t expect the campaign to resume and gives short shrift the extended play-off proposal.

Lambert hit out at the EFL in a 5 Live interview on Monday and has reiterated that condemnation for the way they have handled the fallout from the coronavirus crisis.

“I think it's an absolute disgrace what's happening, with League One especially,” Lambert told the Daily Mail.

“It's terrible, it's so wrong that they haven't told us what is going on. There are so many unanswered questions and it seems there is so much passing the buck here and there.

“Will someone just make a decision? It's badly lacking leadership. They should be saying, ‘We can't make everyone happy, but here is the decision that we think is best for now’.

“You might not keep everyone happy but at least we can all get our head around it and make plans, be that playing the season now or ending it and not coming back until September or whenever.

“This in-fighting, what's happening here or there or who wants what, that's no good for me, it's not a nice situation.”

As revealed by TWTD at start of last month, most of Town’s staff are on furlough at present.

And as things stand, the players are due back at the club to train on or after May 25th but Lambert says that’s not particularly useful with no date for a resumption set.

“You can't take people off furlough if no one else in the division is going to do it and games aren't going to be played,” Lambert continued. “We can't have a training date if we don't have a start date.

“Football is one organisation - why are we not singing from the same hymn sheet? What's different? It's the same game, the same ball. It should be one organisation saying, ‘This is what we have to do’.

“Personally, I would love to finish, if it is safe to do so. We have five home games left and could finish well. But, looking at it, I don't see how that's going to happen now.”

As in his previous interview, Lambert says the Premier League should help clubs in the lower leagues.

“I'd like to see more financial help filtering down from the Premier League,” he said. “They've done that in Germany, eight million euros to help with testing.

“The Premier League is the richest league in the world. If you don't help these clubs down there, what's going to happen to them? These clubs are vital to the communities.

“If you're sitting up there at the top in the Premier League, why not give a little bit to help them through this? It's not right.”

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony has proposed extending the play-offs to eight teams, those placed from third to 10th, but Lambert isn’t a fan of the suggestion.

“The top 10 having a play-off idea, I don't know who is coming up with these,” he added. “They must lie at night and come up with another great idea and just put it out there. I mean, that one about turning your face away when you tackle, come on?

“What we need here is some clear thinking and decisive decision-making, and we need it now.”

Even if the 23 clubs agree to extend the play-offs, Town seem unlikely to be involved. Although they are currently 10th in the table, under a points per game or weighted points per game calculation - the methods of deciding positions the EFL is understood to favour - they would drop to 11th.

The EFL board meets on Wednesday with the clubs set to vote on proposals aimed at resolving the situation on Thursday or Friday.


Photo: TWTD



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bobble added 00:40 - May 20
looks like we are in the correct football league then if its an absolute disgrace, because thats what we have been the last few seasons.....
9

brainbox added 01:01 - May 20
Hopefully Lambert has now written his epitaph as I feel he has gone out of line from his superior - however for once I actually agree with him!!
9

KiwiBlue2 added 06:13 - May 20
I think that we have suffered enough humiliation this season. Participation in an extended play-off competition will only bring more. Am looking forward to hearing that play-offs will not happen.........
6

Chrisd added 06:32 - May 20
Whether you like PL or not, he's spot on with what he has said in this interview.
17

Cakeman added 06:39 - May 20
100% correct Paul Lambert, well said.
15

cat added 07:28 - May 20
Lambert doing what lambert does best in saying the right thing as per. After 2 failed seasons it will be an absolute disgrace if hes allowed a third, but as I've said previously, ITFC reward failures well.

“What we need here is some clear thinking and decisive decision-making, and we need it now.”
Over to you Mr Evans
9

ArnieM added 08:49 - May 20
Paul Lambert is spot on the EFL are a bloody disgrace . They should make a decision undermined by the Govt guidelines. No ifs or buts . Just bloody make a decision !!
7

ArnieM added 08:51 - May 20
“ underpinned” ( sodding predicted text gremlin in the mix again , sorry !)
1

madasbadgers added 09:32 - May 20
Saw the headline and thought PL was doing a review of our season !!!
1

ITFCsince73 added 10:14 - May 20
Decisions need to be made quick. Player's refusing pay cuts are to send clubs into oblivion.
Luton the latest club to demand players take cuts, or there be no club to pay. L2 looking to restructure with the national league. Championship and L1 clubs unable to start next season behind closed doors if not bankrupt before then.
Players holding football to ransom, with there greed.
3

Bert added 10:15 - May 20
What is there to criticise in what Lambert has said ?
8

ITFCsince73 added 10:21 - May 20
When he said it's.
1

BlueandTruesince82 added 10:35 - May 20
1.5 failed seasons Cat.... other .5 belongs firmly to Paul Hirst
1

ITFCsince73 added 10:39 - May 20
Paul Hurst was only in the building a couple of months?
0

TJS added 10:42 - May 20
The whole thing is pathetic. What is the point of play-offs with no fans at neutral venues. End the season on PPG - top 3 up / bottom 3 down and let club owners take legal action if they want. In the current climate I would like to think any right minded judge would tell them where to stick it.
0

ArnieM added 11:19 - May 20
Hurst was indeed only in the building a couple of months . But in those 6-8 weeks he manage to transform a relatively stable Championship Squad into a total League One squad by his transfer dealings bringing all League One and Two players . Absolutely NONE had any Championship experience ( and it showed ). He then proceeded to ship out on loan our youngsters that HAD Championship experience , out to lower league and Scottish Clubs . Some of this kids had already been playing for us at Championship level.

I know Lambert didn't alter anything, ( he wasn't able to make once again wholesale changes, Hurst had effectively spent the money !) but it was Hursts squad that took us down . You don't expect 11-12 League One players to suddenly play at a higher level , and collectively suddenly start winning Championship games in a relegation dogfight.

The Lambert “ issues” are a totally different matter, but they did compound the Hurst legacy IMHO.
Lambert's on f luck up was this season.

1) he should have trimmed the squad , thereby negating the need to constantly rotate, as Lambert felt he had “ to give everyone a game “, which is just ridiculous .

2) His insane postponement Of games when there was simply no need to do so . Some players went a month without playing . How the hell do you build momentum and consistency with that approach ?!

3) Injuries to KVY and Norwood were IMO pivotal to our impotency


But as is the case with ITFC it seems to be a season in season of wrong Decisions at all levels .
5

BlueandTruesince82 added 11:31 - May 20
Spot on Arnie.... there was plenty of opportunity with the St Johnson's paint trophy or what ever its now called to give the game's needed for getting players fit. There didn't need to be messing for any other matches.

Norwood clearly has not been fully fit all season and losing KVY was a body blow we were ill equipped to deal with. I don't mind postponing the games if you are putting the strongest team but those postponmenets were compounded by changing players under the guise of needing to get people fit when better and less risky options to do so were in the offing and then having the opposite effect on whoever got dropped due not then playing for a month.

It was utter contradiction and times.

Can only hope that Sunderland etc are financially blunted as a result of Corona because if they can strengthen we are jiggered.

Downes and Woolfie 100% off over the summer and it will be for chump changes that will reflect the market sag. So.we start next season shorn of 2 of our best players and still with no money to bring in what we need
0

Carberry added 11:33 - May 20
Lambert engaging with the national media, that normally means one thing, he wants his profile high when he's looking for a job.
2

ChrisR added 11:47 - May 20
Not too impressed leadership opinions coming from the ITFC leader , who has lead our club down 10 places in 2 months , and out of contention for any play off plan.
1

ITFCsince73 added 11:48 - May 20
Does make me chuckle how Hurst still gets the blame for selling the best we had....
He took over from Mick Ma, who fell out with us in March.
The club owner is Evans, who'd sell his Mum if the deal was worth enough.
3

dirtydingusmagee added 11:50 - May 20
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
1

62WasBest added 11:59 - May 20
I think that the real problem isn't whether the season is abandoned or played. It is doubtful that you'll get agreement on that from every club. The core of the problem, as I see it, is the preposterous formulas being conceived out of thin air to decide the order of finish. Nobody planned this virus and circumstances are extraordinary. However, to manufacture promotion and relegation for a season abandoned rather than completed is perverse. The season should just be written off if cannot be played. Rather than complicated formulas, it is just as rational to decide each remaining fixture on the toss of a coin. If you can predict likely promotion places or relegation places with 10 to 12 games to go then let's abandon every season at that point and save the fans and the clubs in the middle order some money. After all, it is all about money. That's why those in the middle don't want to complete now as they have nothing to play for, only costs to incur.
1

Bluearmy_81 added 12:02 - May 20
Since 73, I know. Hurst what 5 months?! Evans 13 years... Blame Hurst!!! 🤔🙄🙄😂
3

Bluearmy_81 added 12:04 - May 20
Lambert simply cannot continue after 2 seasons of failure, it would be a disgrace if he is our manager next seaso. Saying that if someone did take over they would likely fail with the 'support' they get from Evans...
1

TractorRoyNo1 added 15:55 - May 20
PR Paul is now Pundit Paul and I agree with all he says, looking forward to seeing him on German Match of the Day next session.
1


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