Over the weekend I’ve heard many people, including personal friend Janine Self of the Daily Mail, quickly making statements that Paul Lambert’s time at Aston Villa may well be shorter than many would hope.
Whilst it is understandable that such an opinion could be cultivated considering Lambert’s past moves from clubs when other bigger options come calling, it is difficult to see what job the Scottish manager may get that is bigger than Villa’s when one stops to consider it.
After all, look at the clubs who are bigger. Can you see Lambert being approached to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson when he eventually retires? No? Me either.
Or could you see Sheikh Mansour looking at Lambert and thinking, whenever Roberto Mancini’s time is up, “here is the man I want to manage one of the richest clubs in the world?” I would say no.
It isn’t just those two teams though – Roman Abramovich sets his sights on the best managers in the world (no offence Paul), whilst it seems unlikely that Arsene Wenger will be succeeded by Lambert either. Daniel Levy seems to want something different at Tottenham, and thus I can’t see White Hart Lane being an exit route for Lambert either.
I imagine the only top job out there that might take Lambert, and even this one is unlikely, is Liverpool. If Brendan Rodgers doesn’t make it at the club, I would say their next step would be back to the standard “big name” choice rather than a continuation of the young manager gamble they are taking.
Beyond those clubs, are there really any bigger clubs? Sure, Newcastle United have a larger stadium, but a move to them wouldn’t exactly be stepping up would it?
Now don’t get me wrong, I am delighted with our appointment, and I fully believe that Lambert is the man to revive the club’s fortunes, but I wanted to take a realistic perspective on those who are already suggesting our new man has an eye on the exit. Surely it is a positive to have a man who has ambition than one who doesn’t?
Do the same people who are worrying already take the same attitude in life considering nothing to be worthwhile because, after all, we die anyway at the end of it? That, my friends, is depressive behaviour and those thinking in the way should seek some help.
It’s ridiculous to concern ourselves with the potential that a manager may leave the club at some point in the future. What is the benefit of worrying about it? Does it make it any more or less likely? Does it make anyone feel better?
Bottom line is it doesn’t and whilst Lambert may well be seen as a man who rides the crest of the wave to his next position, his new role may well give him sufficient potential to not have to jump ship. After all, with a redeveloped team he is far closer to a team that would get into Europe at Villa than at any club preceding his current appointment.
And, if Lambert did leave based on getting Villa to the heady heights of the table again, would that be so bad? Surely it would indicate we were established back at the right end of the table anyway, and would have an ideal platform to move forwards again.
So don’t worry. All that matters is that Paul Lambert is in charge at Villa and we can look forward to the next season – a welcome change after the last campaign where many of us found our trips to Villa Park feeling more and more like a chore as the season went on.
The future’s bright, the future’s Lambert.
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