Paul Lambert says he ‘absolutely’ sees his long-term future at Ipswich Town – regardless of whether the club avoids Championship relegation or not.
The experienced Scot signed a contract until 2020 when replacing Paul Hurst in the Portman Road hot-seat at the end of October.
Lambert remain utterly convinced the Blues will avoid dropping into the third-tier for the first time since 1957, despite heading to his former club Stoke on Saturday with his team sitting seven points adrift of safety at the foot of the Championship table.
MORE: ‘It’s a blow’ – Lambert reveals Skuse suffers knee injury in training
And when asked if he sees himself staying at the club regardless of what happens this season, he replied: “Absolutely I do.
“I’ve been in the game too long to say anything is long-term. You might have great intentions to stay somewhere a long time, but nobody ever knows what’s around the corner. I can say all the right things to you, but I know how football works.
MORE: Lambert hopes to make signings as soon as January transfer window opens
“I never think you’re secure in this job. When you do that you end up becoming complacent, so I never hang my hat on anything.
“But I feel really comfortable here with everything; with the owner, the football club itself, the people who work at the football club, the fans.
“The fans have been brilliant with me. There was a bit of trepidation because I’d been at the rivals, but I never had any fear of it because I knew if I could turn it around then everything would be forgotten.
MORE: ‘It’s rubbish’ - Ipswich Town respond to reports that owner Marcus Evans has put club up for sale
“I love it here, I really do. I think it’s a brilliant football club and I’m looking forward to everything that goes with it.
“One thing is for sure, we are getting better as a team. I think we’re getting better as a football club as a whole. I think the fan base are just starting to get going.
“If we can get a bit of help, and get this club going the way I think we can, it will be brilliant.”
MORE: Lambert’s plea for fans to drop ‘animosity’ at end of tense shareholders’ AGM
Lambert was at his previous three clubs – Blackburn, Wolves and Stoke – less than a year. Asked if he wanted to settle down, he joked: “Yeah, I get sick of moving house, I can’t afford it any more!
“As I said, I’m really comfortable here, I really love it and I love the way the football club is structured.
“Right or wrong, I’ll do what is right for Ipswich; not for me, not for the staff, not for any individual, but for Ipswich Football Club.”
He added: “I’ll do my best to try and turn it around. I get the sense everyone wants to pull in the same direction and that’s half the battle.
“Every job is tough – whether you are at the bottom, in the middle of the table or up the top. There is no easy job.
“I enjoy it and if you enjoy something and have passion for it then ultimately it will turn around. We will turn it around if we get the players the players we think we can get.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here