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Lambert: I Won’t Have a Player Say They’d Rather Be at Home With the Wife and Kids
Friday, 19th Feb 2021 09:24

Town boss Paul Lambert says Kayden Jackson and Jon Nolan, banished to train with the U23s, have let the club down, let themselves down and let their team-mates down.

Jackson angered Lambert with his red card against Sunderland, while Nolan expressed his frustration to the manager after travelling to Crewe and not finding out until shortly before kick-off that he wasn’t in the 18.

“Yes, for reasons that I think are right,” Lambert said when asked to confirm that the duo are training with the U23s.

“As I said before, I won’t have a player [Nolan], any player come to me and say they’d rather be at home with the wife and kids. If that’s your mentality you’re better doing that.

“I need players that are going to dig in at a really hard moment, but you need players digging in and I’m not having it.

“I’ve never had any player do that. I’m not naming names or anything like that but I’ve not known any player at the top level that I’ve played at, top level I’ve managed, I’ve never had anybody saying that to me. I think it’s disrespectful to your team-mates.”

Does he feel they’ve let him down? “They’ve let the club down, let themselves down, let their team-mates down. It’s immaterial to me. I’ve managed at the top level, played at the top level, won the highest things in Europe at the top level, I’ve never had that.

“And I need players at this football club that are going to die for it, that are going to run for it and are going to work for it.”


General manager of football operations Lee O’Neill has confirmed that there was loan interest in Jackson on deadline say, with Huddersfield the club understood to have made an approach, but with the deal not one Town were prepared to do.

Nolan was mentioned in connection with Rotherham United, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United and Doncaster Rovers shortly before the window.

Asked whether the duo wanted to leave in the transfer window, Lambert said: “Nobody came in, that was the thing. You can’t go anywhere if nobody comes in for you.”

What can they do to get themselves in their manager’s good books? “I really don’t know but, as I said before, that’s my answer to it. The mentality, I’ve never heard that before at any level of football and I need players that are going to die for here, that are going to work.”

With Flynn Downes suspended for the next two games due to his red card on Tuesday, Nolan would have been an option in midfield, while Jackson would have been an option from the bench as the Blues look for goals.

“It doesn’t matter, it’s the attitude to the whole thing, to everything,” he said. “As I said before, I’m not having that, I’m not having it for the team, to disrespect any team-mates or anything like that.

“If that’s the attitude, that you want to stay with your wife and kids, then fine, that’s totally fine. But I need people who want to die and play for the club.”

Do the rest of the squad understand the situation? Has it created waves within the group? “I think anybody can see, OK everybody’s frustrated with results, but one thing you can’t level at them is a lack of fight, you can never label them with that, a lack of fight. For me I don’t have a problem with their fight.”

Regarding that fight in the squad, he added: "Well, it's proven. You don't say that. The clubs that I've played with and played with the best of the best and won the best, and I know the highest level.

“To be in Europe, I know what it's like to play in European finals and World Cups, and I've never ever, ever heard that — ever.

"And that's not the mentality I'm going for. If you want to stay with your wife and kids, then no problem, stay with them.

“At this football club, we need people that want to fight and die for it. That's what we need. And the supporters, maybe it's the first of them hearing it.

“They might turn around and say, 'hang on a minute, so what do we do, let people play when they want to play?'.

“You go back to your boss and say you don't want to do your work and see what happens.

Asked later to confirm that the player he is talking about is Nolan, Lambert wouldn't add to what he had previously said.

“You can take the stories from the other guys. I don't want to go through it again, that's it.”

Asked whether it was unfair that there are two issues and only one player is being talked about, Lambert added: “I told you to take it off [the earlier comments] and if you're going to keep going on, I'll just walk off. Talk about the game.”


Photo: Matchday Images



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positivity added 09:29 - Feb 19
lambert yet again putting his petty grievances above the good of the club.

surely evans has to see this pattern of behaviour constantly depreciating the value of his investment?
13

blueboyd added 09:30 - Feb 19
I hate Lambert
8

LWNR2013 added 09:32 - Feb 19
Shameful
5

The_Flashing_Smile added 09:32 - Feb 19
There's too much fight Lamebert you twonk. How many red cards is it now? Also, shut up about playing at the top level. You say it every effing week. Learn how to manage a football team instead of continually spouting this sh@te.
15

Blue_Blood_ added 09:34 - Feb 19
If this is true I completely agree with Lambert
There are kids who would love to be a footballer
13

trncbluearmy added 09:37 - Feb 19
There's a lot wrong we all know that, but the comment about Nolan does not surprise me,always disappeared when it got a bit tough.
Jackson deserves a way back and should start every game in a front two with Norwood (when bloody fit)
8

MrJase_79 added 09:37 - Feb 19
He's played for big clubs though.
7

MattinLondon added 09:38 - Feb 19
@Blue_Blood
You're falling for his PR spin.
4

MattinLondon added 09:40 - Feb 19
I'd love to know the context of that alleged statement.

If I were in a work environment, no matter how desired, if it was toxic and poisonous with an idiot manager I'd rather be at home.
5

CrockerITFC added 09:43 - Feb 19
LEAVE PAUL LAMBERK ALONE, HE'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD MANAGER. COULDN'T ASK HIM FOR ANY MORE EFFORT. REALLY GOOD.
0

SouperJim added 09:43 - Feb 19
Player frustrated because he wants to play? Banish him to the U23s!

Player sent off desperately trying to make a difference? Banish him to the U23s!

Another wonderful piece of man management by Lamberk, brilliant, well done. He clearly knows the writing is on the wall, I don't think he gives a monkey's anymore. Meanwhile the owner is happy for us to be a shambles, so long as he doesn't have to put his hand in his pocket.

And onwards we plunge, until the separation clause is met.
11

jas0999 added 09:43 - Feb 19
The whole club is in a very sorry mess.
16

mickeyjb added 09:45 - Feb 19
But why take him along if he's not going to be used? Was this just in case a sub got injured in the warm up. Did Lambert not actually know who he was going to use until he got there! It's getting very much like Lambert against the world, like others, I actually worry about the guys Mental Health, surely he would be better off, stepping away, spending time with his family and forgetting this sorry episode before the chances of employment with another meaningful team evaporate for ever. Roy Keane arguably played for a bigger team than Lambert ever did and we know how well that went!
15

meekreech added 09:46 - Feb 19
Is it now time for lambert to be examined for his mental health? With regards his recent statements regarding blue action not being true supporters, having shielded Lerner at villa, hinting that he is doing the same for Evans and running down the players I am beginning to think he is not completely on this planet and living in a world of his own. I have no interest in his I have done this, been here, won this played at this level, all I need is for him to generate a winning team and get back to the level we are used to , generating a good feeling at pr and in the area. Unfortunately I am not sure that he is capable of doing this as I now feel he has gone beyond the line that appeared for mick.
18

itfcserbia added 09:47 - Feb 19
OMG it's like 12 paragraphs instead of 3 with this guy. He repeated every single thing 4 times, and 100 times before.
8

Global_Blue added 09:47 - Feb 19
This is shocking management. It's totally understandable that someone would want to spend time with their family, if they were not working. The key point here is - did Lambert say to the team "look, I need you all with me on these away trips, but there's a chance not all of you will make the final 18. It's about being ready and prepared, and about maintaining team spirit." If he did and Nolan then said "I'd rather be at home with the wife and kids" then I totally agree with Lambert. But do any of us believe that is how he manages his team?

And when questioned "what do they need to do to get back in the team" the answer is "I don't know"! That is an appalling statement from a manager. It's his job to motivate and inspire the team, to set them a vision of what they can all achieve together and how he wants them to develop individually. If he can't do that or doesn't know how, then he and the owner really should be questioning whether he is capable of doing the job for which he is employed.
16

GavITFC added 09:49 - Feb 19
I'm guessing it's just as simple as, JN got the hump because he travelled with the squad and wasn't even on the bench so made an off the cuff comment like, I'd rather be at home with the family...
Yes shouldn't have said it but I get the feeling it's being blown way out of proportion as PL is just looking for scapegoats
13

MonkeyAlan added 09:50 - Feb 19
This is like a bad soap opera now. Come on Evans get off your @rse and sort this out. You have made yourself look a right clown not sorting Lambert out by now. Even the national media are realising you are an idiot man. Can't be good for your other businesses?
13

tetchris added 09:50 - Feb 19
I've managed at the top level, played at the top level, won the highest things in Europe at the top level, I've never had that.

Has he ever had an interview or press conference where he doesn't say that ?


7

IpswichT62OldBoy added 09:50 - Feb 19
As far as respect goes you get what you give.
We know how he treats fans and press, imagine working for him.
2

Bluearmy_81 added 09:51 - Feb 19
So they join the club, you and Evans let the club down every day... Ipswich Town where chronic failure in div 3 is accepted
0

thechangingman added 09:51 - Feb 19
It's embarrassing to watch Lambert scramble around to build his 'brand', and play the 'tough-guy'!
I very much hope that these infantile efforts to ingratiate himself to the fanbase are seen for what they are: utter spin, and falsehood.
I strongly sense that as this charlatan fights to keep employed, we're going to witness new lows of indignity and delusion.
Awful days for Town, and no immediate signs of change, or hope...
10

Upthetown1970 added 09:51 - Feb 19
Wow Paul that's a new low even for you. To publicly humiliate one of your own players like this is purely evil. I'm guessing these are your man management skills and the whole squad want to do nothing but play for a manager like you. This club is becoming a laughing stock.
12

SpiritOfJohn added 09:52 - Feb 19
It looks like Lambert needs a break for the sake of his mental and physical health. How bad does it have to get before Marcus Evans steps in and does something?
11

rfretwell added 09:54 - Feb 19
And this is what happens when a squad is so ridiculously big. Players want to play or at least be on the bench. If not the manager should be up front with them not leave it so late to tell them they arent in the match squad even. It's a recipe for unrest and that's exactly what we now have at our once great club.
6


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