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Lambert: I'd Like to Give Them a Helping Hand in January
Friday, 18th Dec 2020 12:12

Town boss Paul Lambert says he’d like to add to his squad in January with one or two potentially moving on to make way for them.

“We’d like to do it, to give them a hand, I think that’s important,” he said when asked about the potential for January additions. “The big thing for us is to try to get the bigger ones back fit. I think that’s the big thing for us.

“But yes, I’d like to give them a helping hand and if one or two of the guys go just for their own careers as well, it’s important. If we can bring somebody in, it’ll be beneficial.”

Football’s pandemic-related financial crisis has led to a large pool of players still without clubs and available outside the transfer window but Lambert is less keen on this market.

“I think there are two ways to look at it,” he reflected. “If you’re a free agent at this time of the season, then you have to ask ‘Why are you a free agent at this time of the season?’ What’s gone wrong? Is it attitude? Is it fitness? Is it no desire?

“I don’t want to bring anybody here that’s not got the desire or just wants to benefit themselves, I don’t think that’s the right thing to do for the club.

“It needs somebody that wants to play and wants the club to do well, like a Stephen Ward. People like that who have an unbelievable attitude to the game, a great enthusiasm for the game, that’s the type of attitude you need.

“I saw a list with some of the transfers on it and you think that they’re there for a reason. Whether that’s attitude or anything, I don’t know, but I’m not sure it’s a healthy road to go down.”

He believes it’s better to give youngsters such as Armando Dobra, Liam Gibbs and Elkan Baggott games.

“I think so, that’s the way I view it,” he said. “We have to look at the kids and the future going along the way until something dramatic happens. I don’t want to stop the kids from getting the chance of getting the opportunity because I think that’s wrong.

“As I said, I always go back to my own career with that, I needed somebody to throw me in when I was young and those kids need me to throw them in, which I’m happy to do.”

He says the young players coming into the first team need to grow up quickly: “Yes, they’re off the Farley’s Rusks and the hot milk! They’re getting there, they’re on the solid food, that’s a good thing.

“Being young sometimes, you can hide behind the experienced players and they can make an excuse for you. I’m a great believer that if you throw them in the water, they have to swim.

“And that’s what they’re doing, they’re swimming. I think that’s the great thing about them. They know they’ll get a chance under me if they do well, they’ve seen it.

“As long as you never become too big-headed, I think that's the important thing, we try and keep their feet on the ground.

“If they do that, they’ve got a chance, but they need a little bit of time to progress but they’re doing well.”

Meanwhile, Lambert played down summer reports that he was interested in signing Peterborough striker Jonson Clarke-Harris prior to his move from Bristol Rovers in the summer.

“If I had some of your wages I might have been able to buy him!" he joked. “Unless there was going to be money from somewhere, we can’t do it, we can’t do it.

“The lad’s a handful and he’s done well for them, but we couldn’t go and buy anyone.”


Photo: Matchday Images



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MrJase_79 added 12:21 - Dec 18
I do wonder who he's talking about getting rid of.
1

Cloddyseedbed added 12:24 - Dec 18
I'd like to have a bet it'll be someone who hasn't played for a while working back to fitness.
1

itfcjoe added 12:41 - Dec 18
Resigning would give them the biggest helping hand
1

JackSted added 12:44 - Dec 18
Place your bets please. I'm going for Will Keane or Leon Best
0

Bert added 16:46 - Dec 18
PL has a sense of humour after all. Nothing to quibble about in this article.
1

therein61 added 17:50 - Dec 18
I hope he is able to give the squad some help but unless he can free up some cash by getting rid of some oldies on fat contracts he's not got a pot to pee in,
0

Gforce added 20:30 - Dec 18
Getting rid of about 10 on that out of contract list would be a good start.
0

Dockerblue added 21:15 - Dec 18
Mr Jase 79, it won,t be Chambers, Skuse, Sears or Judge, put money on it.
0

KiwiBlue2 added 23:37 - Dec 18
The one thing that he did not mention concerning our youngsters is the potential influence of grasping agents on them and their parents. We have lost a few in recent years who have been drawn away after being bigged up and they have largely disappeared while the agent pockets a fee.
1

Razor added 11:28 - Dec 19
Crikey that was actually sensible stuff!!
0


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