Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Lambert on Blue Action Banner: I Can't Control That
Friday, 27th Nov 2020 11:20

Boss Paul Lambert says he can do nothing about the Blue Action group calling for his head in a banner draped across Playford Road’s gates on Wednesday evening and in a subsequent statement.

Blue Action were formed at the start of 2018/19 to try to improve the atmosphere at Portman Road and met with Lambert shortly after he took charge at the club. At the start of last season they paid tribute to the Town manager in a banner hailing his as Rambo. Wednesday’s referred to him Shambo.

“I never knew until last night,” Lambert said when asked about it. “Do you know what, the great thing about myself is whether it’s good, bad or indifferent, nothing bothers me that way.

“As I said before, I played with massive clubs that taught me unbelievably strength-wise.

“I never knew a thing. I can’t control that, what I did do with the Blue Action guys, no problem, we wanted to know their views on what happened to the club and where it had gone. They even admitted themselves that the club had nose-dived and they’d lost enthusiasm for it.

“We tried to give them an injection, told them ‘We need you, we definitely need you’. They came and did brilliantly, they started everything going, it started to snowball. Absolutely no problem.

“We met a lot of the guys, no problem. But if they want to go down that road then I can’t do anything about that.

“What I do know is that the club is in a lot better place than it was when we first came in with the support.

“And the support has been brilliant, absolutely brilliant because they’ve had so many years or things going up and down, not happy with the ownership and managers and everything like that.

“But we’re here to do our best, whether that ends tomorrow or ends Monday or Tuesday, you’re here to do your best.

“The guys have given me absolutely everything and they’re better players than they were when we first came in, that’s for sure.”


Asked whether the banner surprised him, he responded: “My only concern is the guys in the dome [where they’re changing at present], the staff and the players. My only concern, and the fans, I can’t influence any group to do what they want.

“I never think about myself, I never worry about myself, I never think about myself, my main concern is everybody else around about me. That’s my main concern. Not myself, that’s no problem.”

What’s his message to fans? “Just keep supporting the club. Even if I wasn’t here, I would still say to any fans, ‘Support the club, because they need you, without a doubt, they need you and they need you all the time. Good, bad or indifferent.’

“The guys and the women pay a lot of money to watch games but, as I said when I came in, this club had I don’t know how many season ticket holders, but it was dwindling, there was no atmosphere, there was nothing, everybody was tired of it.

“At least there’s a bit more ‘vocalness’ there, a bit more power there and fans are getting season tickets. I’d rather have that than come to a place where there’s no enthusiasm for it, which was the case here.

“Now, the power’s there all the time. But we need the fans to be good, to be vocal. We need them, regardless of what, the football club needs them, not anything else but the football club needs them.”

Reflecting on fans' concerns that the season is shaping up to go down the same route as last term, when the Blues started brightly before slumping into mid-table, he added: "We'll hopefully get the guys back. Listen, we’re down to the bare bones. Have we got the strongest squad at the minute? No, we haven’t, which is because of the injury situation.

"Are your bigger players not playing? Yes, because of the injuries. But it’s a chance for the younger ones or the guys to perform and show me what they can do.

"So we’re only three points off of second with a game in hand, and it’s a long, long season this that’s for sure.

Does he feel under greater pressure because of the banner, particularly in a season when it’s vital the Blues are promoted with the salary cap set to have an even great impact next season.

“I think people have got a perception that Ipswich has been a massive spender, which it's not, and that's the reality of it,” he said

“You look at the clubs in the division and everyone will be saying the same. Sunderland have been in it a long time as well and there have been so many clubs, Portsmouth have been in there as a really good team, there are so many clubs in there that are vying for it.

“You look at Peterborough as well, spent a lot of money on it. They do great with their recruitment and sell guys on.

“There are loads of clubs up there, and Ipswich are sitting three points off of second with a game in hand.

“We're in a really good place with a hell of an amount of injuries which is a concern, but that's football I guess throughout the whole league.

“But as I said before, and I'll say it again if Marcus came to me today or tomorrow and said listen whatever — no problem, I don't have a problem. I can't do anything about that, and I can't influence anything about that.

“All we do is try and get the best out of the guys and we've incorporated so many young guys in the team because in the future and the long-term it's going to be good.

“We came up with a style of playing going right through the club because everybody wanted that, so we came up with ideas, myself and [assistant] Stuart [Taylor] we came up with ideas so everybody plays this way, so everybody knows to come into the first team.

“We played kids at Crawley as you know and everybody raised an eyebrow because of the young team I picked.

“But you see long term that that will benefit the club because other teams might take the kids on loan and it will benefit them which benefits the club.

“So you've got to have a long-term eye on what can happen somewhere else, you don't just do short-term stuff.

“And to me that's what's happened at the club, it's been short-term on a load of things where we're trying long-term, whether we're here or not is immaterial. It should be filtered right through if that's what the club's philosophy is.”

From the Portsmouth match up to 2,000 fans will be back at Portman Road, which Lambert says is a positive development with fans having been absent since March due to the pandemic.

“I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t pay money for a ticket and come and just want to criticise people,” he said. “But that’s just me, my opinion of it. I’d want to have a good time and enjoy it.

“I know it’s going to be really difficult because there’s only a couple of thousand in the stadium, but it’s a start with the football world and sport trying to get back to some normality.

“How many people are allowed in, whether it’s 2,000 or 4,000, I think it’ll be great for the game and the sport because the sport needs the support.

“I’m pretty sure when people do come back in it’ll be a bit surreal for them because they might be dotted all around the stadium but it will be good.”


Photos: Blue Action



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



wkj added 11:30 - Nov 27
What concerns me more is what Lambert CAN control but continually fails to do. You're not the small fish in the league now Lambo, lets start playing like winners.
10

pazzy added 11:37 - Nov 27
we have to forget playing out from the back we are not good enough and speed our game up and attack trying to score goals not with one up front
3

Carberry added 11:37 - Nov 27
'I never think about myself.....' Of course not.
2

ArnieM added 11:43 - Nov 27
Yada yada yada........
1

Suffolkboy added 11:49 - Nov 27
It's very worrying that in what he does , and in what he says he leaves you feeling he's not totally abreast of anything he's asked to talk about !
That's sad , for we need our manager to plainly be the leader, the guide and the obvious mentor for all in his team .I've little doubt about his intentions, nor his caring approach BUT wish for a steely injection of determination and spunk into the whole team : and that's down to PL and Co .
To be fair , all managers will need to let criticism appear water off a ducks back ,and need to display a thick skin BUT it would be great to hear PL and his immediate team tell us they ‘hear what you say ‘ and then convince us that there is total harmony and shared commitment ,and character running through the spine , everywhere !
Come on Paul, you CAN serve us better ; please do !
COYB
4

Juggsy added 12:00 - Nov 27
Lambert can't control that?

Coach players, have a flexible playing system, win games.

CONTROLLED

Man is a first class idiot in my opinion.
3

hoppy added 12:26 - Nov 27
“As I said before, I played with massive clubs that taught me unbelievably strength-wise..."

Did he? I don't think he's ever mentioned that before, has he?!
8

wkj added 12:30 - Nov 27
@Hoppy - He used to play for Harchester United - he went by Louis Amor Rodriquez
0

1psw1ch added 12:30 - Nov 27
ah leave the man alone,,, we are sitting 5th in the league,,, not the end of the world,,, rather see Evans gone first,,, ok we not playing the most exciting football in the world but we still in a good position,,,,, anyway watched the video on the playoffs and then the final,,, still gives me goosebumps,,, one day we will be back there,,, coyb
1

IpswichTownNL added 13:09 - Nov 27
Must be quiet fun living in Paul Lambert land. You simply state your options as facts a there you go; we got the new truth.

We see it every week with his delusional post-game interviews. Here is another fantastic one:

“The guys have given me absolutely everything and they're better players than they were when we first came in, that's for sure.”

Name one goddamn player that improved under your managed you absolute weapon. Downes is the only one that improved, and he is simply our biggest natural talent.
I saw one Ipswich Town player that improved drastically during this buffoons tenure and he played right-back for Hull city last Tuesday…
1

cat added 13:09 - Nov 27
“Do you know what, the great thing about myself is whether it's good, bad or indifferent, nothing bothers me that way” REALLY lol. Last seasons walk away incident (the point where PL lost me) was hardly the actions of a man not bothered. So much of this interview is utter bollox!
3

runningout added 13:17 - Nov 27
Emmanuel isn't as good as he should be. Just playing in a more organised team at the moment. We made Hull look better than they are, like we tend to do
2

MonkeyAlan added 13:28 - Nov 27
The players are better now?! You could have fooled me. They are a rabble of lightweight fairies. Just go Lambert and take that Muppet of an owner with you.
2

RobsonWark added 16:33 - Nov 27
Yes we want a passing team that is great to watch but we want the passing and possession to be done in the opposition half not between our midfielders, defenders and keeper in our half of the pitch!
4

Woodbridgian added 16:45 - Nov 27
Let's face facts it appears he has lost the dressing room and also the confidence of the fans. This is only going to end one way I'm afraid and it's best form all concerned to accept that and move on.
3

papashango87 added 20:09 - Nov 27
Honestly the posts get worse on here every day, the only good thing McCarthy didn't was tell the fans to f**k off and Lambert should have done the same.
It should be easy to find a top manager when we have thousands of them on here. Probably all fat as f**k and not kicked a ball in their life
0

kpblues added 21:43 - Nov 27
I'm not a great fan of keeping it at the back or playing with just one up front but I thought we could have given PL until Christmas before bringing the knives out.
We are still 5th and to be fair there has been glimpses of some attractive football being played when the team's all fit; there are some academy youngsters playing which is what we wanted so I say give him until Christmas and see where we are then.
0

Billericay12 added 06:41 - Nov 28
Monkey Alan- I agree part of the problem is we are too lightweight in midfield which is why we have loads of possession at the back but we struggle to dominate in midfield and don't create enough chances. But without money we have no choice other than to play the youngsters which I am all for and I think when we get Vincent Young and Downes back they would make a difference. We just have to be patient, which is not easy. We need to maintain a top 6 place for a bit longer and hope for a strong finish. I do question Lambert tactically though. Everyone seems to feel we need 2 up front but fear it will weaken the midfield. Maybe a 3-5-2 could work if you have the right players at wing back. Vincent Young can definitely play that role. Chambers, Wolfenden and Mcguiness as the back 3 ?
1

BeattiesBackPocket added 12:22 - Nov 28
He's undoubtedly out of his depth but not the one who should be getting the grief every single manager we have come in will struggle with our owner it's simple managers come and go but the owners the one still here CAUSING the downfall. Our players aren't good enough look at the team we had the season evans bought the club to what we have now it's season on season gotten worse with no team investment. Every manager is practically being asked to build a house with no mortar you can do it but it's never going to stay up. That's why when people talk about Pearson or Howe coming it makes me laugh no credible manager will come here simple why would they no ambition here for the past ten years and a debt gone from 30 to 100 million but you still keep supporting the real problem and take it out on every manager instead 👍
-1

BeattiesBackPocket added 16:04 - Nov 28
Rabbit please tell me how we're better off now from before he bought the club instead of downmarking anyone who doesn't agree the sun shines out of evans butt?? Lol
0


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024