IMHO one of the many reasons PL has delivered for us is identifying who he wants to lend the lads a hand early so they are in the squad for pre-season training. This undoubtably helps build the strong spirit in the dressing room. Do you think McNally will start moving for the players Lambert has already asked for or will he hold back until it is certain Lambert is staying? If Lambert does decide to move on it will be harder to attract a decent replacement if the transfer kitty is already spent. on the other hand moving quickly for PL's transfer targets could help keep him at Carrow Road. What do others think?
This is a bit of a tough one. The last thing PL wants to do is buy in players for Norwich whom he might want to sign for someone else if he moves on, yet if he leaves it too late and ends up staying with us for another season he does not want to miss out on those transfer targets thus weakening the squad he ends up working with. I suppose the only good thing is that the managerial merry-go-round has started early this close season giving a bit of extra time to get things sorted.
it'll be interesting this week and next. if its true that villa have already made their move, then i would fully expect david fox to go with lambert to villa, should lambert accept the role that is. i'll push my neck out and say if fox signs a new contract before we know where lambert will be next season, it'll be the indication we all want that lambert will stay
I'm not sure McNally would sanction the funding to buy new players until he's had some form of commitment from PL that he'll be here to integrate them into the existing set up. I mean, why the hell should he? Largely irrelevant, anyhow, as for Lambert to start identifying targets now if his heart is no longer in the club, just wouldn't happen. I don't think he has any wish to screw us over
Irrespective of whether PL stays or goes this summer, his apparent reluctance to enter into any sort of even short-to-medium term commitment may become a real impediment to recruitment. What the club needs now is a period of stability and consolidation. The Swans, who are in a similar situation to ourselves, have secured Brendan Rogers' signature on a three year contract which, while not precluding a move at some point, is at least a statement of commitment and intent on both sides. Of course, what PL is prepared to say in public is one thing, and what he says to DM and the board is another. But any players City look to bring in will want an answer on that issue too.
I dont agree, he is on a 12 month rolling contract. so as of today, tomorrow the day after he still has a 12 month contract with us. It never stops so the security is always 12 months from the day a player signs.
Good point - players will want to know who their gaffer is going to be and having the right gaffer will influence whether a player signs or not. It does need settling quickly if not some of the choice targets we may have been lining up will sign eleswhere - Reading have already snapped up McCleary so they've got their shopping basket out early which is what Lambo did last year.
we have no idea what lambert is doing behind the scenes. as far as i'm aware, nothing has changed in the respect that lambert is norwich manager and continuing to work along the lines he'll be city manager next season too. this all got out of hand because he never said he'd definitely be here next season. he also said the same at the end of the previous season! everyone knows how he works, especially the current players. what may be a problem is players we look to sign who will want reassurances and i agree with robbie that a long, drawn out chase for lambert could hinder us in the transfer market. i'm afraid there's not a lot we can do about that. lambert is quite within his right to keep his options open, especially when you see the calibre of some of the jobs becoming available. i'm hopeful that the villa situation is resolved by the end of next week one way or the other. the liverpool job was a massive danger but the more i think about it, the less i see that job as a threat because dalglish has severed all ties. had he moved up stairs i think lambert would be top target. now he's probably only featuring low down on the radar.
. Agreed Supers - Liverpool will probably be looking for a "name" from abroad. Villa is still the big worry but I think the O Neill factor will have a big influence on Lambert's decision there. We'll know soon enough I guess.
Yes, he's quite within his rights, but one has to ask whether it's actually in the interests of Norwich City FC for this state of affairs to continue.
the problem is, he will ALWAYS be within his rights to keep his options open. he owes us nothing. i still don't think he'll go this summer but it will ALWAYS be a matter of when, not if. people need to come to terms with that
nothing confirmed as yet, but there is a belief in some quarters that lambert is about to sign a new contract with norwich. having quickly looked at the odds, it is possible - he's drifted and ole gunnar solskjaer is now favourite for the villa job. as i say, this is just a rumour at the moment but fingers crossed, we may be about to concentrate on summer transfer targets again!
I don't want to full commit but I'm pretty sure the longer there is silence the better it is I think lamberts agent looked into the villa position (on the radio) and Liverpool I think is a nono at the moment because they are looking for a big name I think it was better that he weigh up his options the way he has than go guns blazing "yeah I'm guna be here next year Paul lamberts green army woo" He has every right to assess his options, I don't begrudge him that at all
beefy, i won't lie, i'm in the dark - i have no idea whether its true or not but i'm totally with you that the longer its quiet the better although i'd rather the villa and liverpool jobs get sorted asap! its only natural that lambert's agent, athole still - I think that's his agent unless he's changed, will want to see what is best for his client. i'm sure if he stays he'll sign a new deal, albeit a rolling 1-year deal still, just better money. i think that's obvious. as for solskjaer, would be a big gamble for villa in my opinion
My concern is with the message it sends out to players wondering whether or not to sign. When there was talk of Brendan Rogers being a target earlier this year, he came out and said in effect "Go away, I've a job to do here at Swansea", in addition to which he has put pen to paper on a three year contract. The Swans are now in talks with Siggurdson, hoping he'll sign a permanent deal. Siggurdson can look at that knowing it would take something pretty extraordinary to dislodge Rogers, so he Siggurdson can join Swansea with a real expectation of stability and progress. In contrast, someone wondering whether to sign for City will not have that degree of confidence. Up to now it hasn't really mattered because there has been a quite reasonable assumption that PL must be comfortable with the club's well-publicised seven year plan and timetable for achieving and maintaining Premier League status. The fact that so much has been achieved in only half the projected time means that those assumptions no longer hold.
I've heard a few mutterings of improved deals... Nothing solid yet I'm not one of these "sauce" guys or anything
thing is, you don't know what he'd be saying to players. he may very well be saying 'don't worry, i'll definitely be here unless barcelona come in', or words to that effect. we know he doesn't commit his future in public, thats always been the case. its doubtful we are in the process of signing anyone at this moment in time anyway, although we may be putting in bids. many players will be on holiday - the action will begin at the beginning of next month and we'll know one way or the other by then (at least i hope we will!)
Agreed, what he is prepared to say privately to potential recruits is what matters. Also, I don't consider the precise terms of any contract, e.g. 1-year rolling, or 3-year, or whatever to be crucial. Merely signing an improved deal of some kind now would be quite enough of a "public" statement of intent. None of the recent developments have caused any shift in my opinion that PL will not be moving on this summer. As I've said, I can't think of one substantial reason for him choosing to move, and numerous for him choosing to stay. ILIT!
