Ipswich name former Norwich manager Paul Lambert as new boss

Championship strugglers Ipswich have appointed Paul Lambert as their new manager.

Lambert succeeds Paul Hurst, who was sacked on Thursday, and has signed a contract until the summer of 2021.

Ipswich are bottom of the Sky Bet Championship with only one win in 14 games and Lambert’s appointment is an intriguing one.

The 49-year-old Scot was in charge of Ipswich’s great rivals Norwich between 2009 and 2012 and he becomes the first man to manage both clubs.

“I can’t wait to get going and I’ll be using all my experience – and give everything I’ve got for Ipswich Town,” Lambert told the official club website.

“I know about the history of the club, what a fantastic football club it is and I’m proud to be the manager here.

“Obviously it’s been a difficult start to the season but to get through this period we need to be pulling together as one – players, staff and supporters.

“I want us to play with tempo, with enthusiasm, with drive.  I want the players to enjoy their football and I’m relishing the challenge of helping to take this club forward.”

Former Scotland midfielder Lambert managed Livingston, Wycombe and Colchester before guiding Norwich in to the Premier League with two successive promotions.

He has also had spells at Aston Villa, Blackburn and Wolves and spent the second half of last season at Stoke.

Lambert won only two of his 15 games in charge at Stoke and left the Potters following their relegation from the Premier League.

“I am delighted that Paul has agreed to become manager of Ipswich Town,” owner Marcus Evans told www.itfc.co.uk.

“He made it clear from our first conversation that he would relish the opportunity to come here.

“He is a very knowledgeable manager who has vast experience of the Championship as well as working for a number of years in the Premier League.

“In his time at Aston Villa he showed he could work and develop young players and his teams have always looked to play exciting football and those attributes fit our ethos here.

“He obviously enjoyed a lot of success at our local rivals and the aim for Paul and everyone at the club is to see that repeated here – and bettered!

“The first priority, though, is to start climbing the table and I urge the supporters to get right behind our new manager and the players to strengthen our ability to do that.”

Lambert will watch Ipswich from the stands at Millwall on Saturday as Bryan Klug takes caretaker charge.

Hurst lasted less than five months at Portman Road having been brought in from Shrewsbury to replace Mick McCarthy last summer.