Ipswich Town boss Paul Lambert says the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic has been his toughest challenge as a manager.

Town’s season was finally ended earlier this month, with the team not having kicked a ball since March 7. It’s not clear when the next League One campaign will begin, with late September being mooted.

And Lambert said: “The health and safety of people is obviously the most important thing through all of this.

“From a job point of view though, it’s been as hard a challenge as I’ve had as a manager for different reasons.

“There are a lot of questions out there and not many answers. We are continuously in the unknown. You can’t plan for anything and it’s been as frustrating as hell.”

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The Town boss added that he believes the crisis will change the sport, and lead to more chances for young players.

“Going forward, I think this will change the face of the game though,” he explained. “It could actually prove to be a beneficial for football long term. It might bring everyone together.

“Clubs won’t have the money to go and spend this and that either and you’ll find that youngsters will get a chance. Supporters will be fine with that. I’ll be fine with that.

“We have got a good group of youngsters coming through here and we will look to develop them into first-team players over time.”