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Lambert: Owner Evans Paid Me the Biggest Compliment
Monday, 30th Dec 2019 11:12

Manager Paul Lambert has revealed owner Marcus Evans told him he has given the club its heart back which the Blues boss says is the “biggest compliment [he’s] had in many a year”.

Since taking over at Portman Road 14 months ago Lambert has gone to great lengths to improve relations between fans and the club with attendances up significantly on the previous few seasons, despite relegation to League One.

The Scot has also impressed the importance of the club's work in the community, welcoming the revival of the Community Trust, and Town's illustrious history, regularly welcoming Blues legends such as Terry Butcher, John Wark, Russell Osman, George Burley and Mick Mills to Playford Road.

However, the recent downturn in form has seen the first signs of his relationship with supporters souring with fans making their frustrations known on the terraces at recent games, both home and away.

Lambert himself called his future into question in a bizarre press conference following the 0-0 draw with Gillingham on Boxing Day.

Quizzed on whether Evans had talked to him about those comments after Sunday’s 5-3 defeat at Lincoln City, Lambert said: “I spoke to him, I speak to him every day more or less, most days I speak to him,” he said. “I spoke to after the game, he came to the game today so I saw him [earlier in] the day.

“The biggest compliment Marcus gave me the other night on the phone was ‘OK, results haven’t gone our way, but we’re still in a good place’ and that I’d given the club its heart back. That was the biggest compliment I’ve had in many a year.”

He wasn’t worried about you walking away? “I don’t think if I left me and Marcus would ever fall out. I think the way he is with me and the way I am with him, we get on well with a lot of things.

“He knows my feelings on things as well. Listen, he’s been great I couldn’t ask for any more support from him.”

Looking to the January transfer window, Lambert reiterated his earlier comment that he would only be able to bring players in if others move on.

“We can only do it if there’s money available or we sold some guys. We don’t have the money, we can’t go out and buy,” he said.

“You know that better than I do, you’ve been reporting longer than I have [been around]. That’s fine, you work within the parameters you’re working with.

“As I said, Marcus has been really good with me. He tells me how it is and I’ve got every faith in the guys to go and perform and go and get on track.

“As I said before, being a leader or being a manager, you stick with the guys, you don’t dare wilt, you go head on and you meet it and for somebody to beat you they’re going to have to put you on your backside.”


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TractorCam added 11:22 - Dec 30
Yes well done for that,that was an important factor last season with relegation looming. That however is now irrelevant, promotion is the key and you need results and quick. Sure the table suggests we're still in a good place, but given where we were 2 months and where we should be, we really aren't.

3 points minimum needed at Wycombe.
12

Bluearmy_81 added 11:26 - Dec 30
Sounds like love. They can both do one.
-8

Dolphinblue added 11:28 - Dec 30
In Lambert l trust....team needs us more than ever...lets stick together through thick and thin...praying for a win at Wycombe COYB
17

jas0999 added 11:44 - Dec 30
Bottom line is under Evans ownership we have been relegated to League One. After many poor decisions in the past, Evans achieved what he really wanted ... someone whose put bums back on seats. More than the club could have possibly hoped for considering the dire end of the McCarthy reign and not winning many football matches, then relegation.

Sadly one win in thirteen will eventually take its toll as fans who attend one offs or buy by the match, will possibly think twice before spending their hard earned. We can't afford another Gillingham showing!
13

Fadedblue added 11:47 - Dec 30
Now do the same for the team
1

runningout added 11:57 - Dec 30
Heart is not fully back. We as supporters complain a lot even at the best of times (like all teams) It's because we know it's best to aim high, then higher and love our once fab club
2

Len_Brennan added 12:04 - Dec 30
@Tractorcam - I generally agree with what you are saying, however I don't think all the good Lambert has done is now "irrelevant". We can't allow things to go back the way they were before he came; from community involvement, links to the past & even small visual improvements like a lick of paint in dilapidated areas. Lambert has been spot on in hs attitude to these things & it has added greatly to the feel good factor, but it must continue or we'll slump back to where we were easily enough, even if results start to improve.
The biggest challenge for Lambert now is to get the team playing in an attack-minded fashion, that is both entertaining to watch & successful in getting goals/results. I'm not convinced that he is capable of gettig the best out of the players at his disposal however & that's what worries me most heading in 2020.
7

bluegrass added 12:07 - Dec 30
Problem is a heart isn't enough. We need a brain too.
7

mow_the_lawn added 12:42 - Dec 30
Any customer relations manager or marketing manager without any knowledge of football could've and should've done this years ago. It shouldn't fall on the manager to rebuild the fan base, he should be spending more time with the team on tactics, formation and discipline. Embarrassingly, a customer relations manager or marketing manager without any knowledge of football could have done no worse in the last ten games than we have.
3

warktheline added 13:05 - Dec 30
Oh God, here we go! I'm being paid a very good salary considering my recent managerial ineptness ! I'll work within the ‘no money available' structure just like McCarthy beforehand, until things become untenable ! In around 3 years if I manage to control my temper!
-2

rabbit added 13:12 - Dec 30
Absolutely priceless Bluearmy_81, a middle age man writing "They can both do one", you purport to be a Psychologist and that is the level of your intellect??
I suppose you get it from all the youngsters you have co-opted on your ridiculous facebook page.
2

Dissboyitfc added 13:16 - Dec 30
If things don't pick up on the field all the good work will be undone. For me Lambert is no longer the one to get us out of this mess! And comments like Toto did great and Norris has been outstanding, thought he was poor against Gillingham but kept his place to mess up yesterday!

PL ‘s honeymoon is well and truly over, and a pint 🍺 in the fanzone won't be enough to get it back!

I found his comments after the Gillingham game very disappointing disrespectful and uncalled for! Going to need to get back to winning ways and in a hurry! Really starting to go off the bloke.
6

Bluearmy_81 added 13:18 - Dec 30
No funds available yet still some will gobble forever more... Baffling 'fans.'
-3

Northstandveteran added 13:39 - Dec 30
Paul Lambert,

Miracle worker.

Even Jesus couldn't have convinced 12,000 followers to buy season tickets to watch this rubbish.
5

rabbit added 13:44 - Dec 30
Your distaste for the Ipswich supporters is palpable Bluearmy_81, and you rarely see a match, apart from just sitting by your keyboard insulting others in order to get some form of weird lonely gratification I can see no reason why you bother.
But I have no doubt you will continue trying to influence the youngsters that join your facebook page, good luck with that!!!
7

r2d2 added 13:57 - Dec 30
No money available. Well there's a shock. Evans lead us down to this level, now he should dig deep in his pockets to get us back up. Or he will lose even more money if we stay down
0

warwickblue added 14:08 - Dec 30
rabbit - I don't think anyone much under 30 uses Facebook and certainly not youngsters.
0

Lightningboy added 14:18 - Dec 30
You've certainly given the club it's heart back Paul but you're bizarrely undoing all your good work with some very strange decision making.

Number 1 - dropping Holy for a goalie who isn't ours & isn't really that good tbh.
Number 2 - cancelling matches when we were doing so well - momentum was lost.
Number 3 - not sorting out the midfield which has been lacking for 10+ years - we cannot keep relying on players who are either unfit (Huws,Bishop) or players who are not stepping up to the mark (Skuse,Judge,Dozzell,Nolan,Rowe,Edwards etc etc)..much better is needed there.

Let's not get too downbeat - we're still in a fantastic position - hopefully our luck will change in 2020 🤞🏻🤞🏻💙
5

BeattiesBackPocket added 15:02 - Dec 30
@lightningblue completely agree with most of what you said we have struggled to find a decent right back and creative midfielder for many years since the likes of wright and Magilton we finally have a decent right back but a decent creative midfielder costs money even from league two and quite frankly the managers Ipswich have employed haven't had the funding so they have made so or hoped for the best with frees that's not the managers faults. I said on another post we've had experienced managers with experience of getting teams promoted but they've struggled with the rescourses our owner gives them. 🤷‍♂️
1

wayway added 15:51 - Dec 30
The only way this club will get its heart back is when Evans PLC sells the club. And stop treating it as a tax dodging cash cow
1

dirtydingusmagee added 16:06 - Dec 30
he has given the club a heart, well that wont wash next season if we blow it now. Gate figures will crash, once bitten twice shy. People were taken in , and it wont happen again .
3

dukey44 added 16:11 - Dec 30
Please just decide on a starting 11 so they play together and get used to each other surely the way forward?
3

SheptonMalletBlue added 16:11 - Dec 30
Unfortunately for us, Lambert is on a huge ego trip!!!!
0

mow_the_lawn added 16:20 - Dec 30
BeattiesBackPocket - I don't think we've had the right scouts or the right coaches for a number of years to either bring in creative talent or bring on our own creative talent in terms of midfield. We've always resorted to resolute but bland tough tackling central midfield options and wingers who have to continually track back to protect ineffective full backs. Progressive football is about taking risks - we haven't done that for years. The two most influential players in Chambers and Skuse (in terms of playing style) must be draining for the rest of the team. One hoofs it long and one plays it safe and sideways.
2

londontractorboy57 added 16:36 - Dec 30
I've asked the same question over the holiday period can any of the we would be better off being relegated advocates tell me how we are any better off?
-1


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