Ex-Norwich City boss Paul Lambert reveals torment over Aston Villa hell
Paul Lambert endured a torrid time at Aston Villa. Photo: David Davies/PA Wire. - Credit: PA
Former Norwich City boss Paul Lambert has re-discovered his managerial mojo after a hellish spell at Aston Villa.
Lambert is back in the game with Championship strugglers Blackburn and gearing up for an FA Cup fifth round tie this weekend against West Ham, after beating Fulham 3-0 on Tuesday in the league to ease eight points clear of the bottom three.
The 46-year-old cut his ties with Norwich after leading the Canaries to a double promotion success but his time at Villa Park turned sour prior to his dismissal 12 months ago.
Lambert revealed he was prepared to quit during an unhappy spell.
'I offered to resign at the end of my second season at Villa Park,' he said. 'I knew I wasn't going to get money to spend so I thought, 'ok, let me resign then'. Randy Lerner said, 'No.' He wouldn't accept it. I had had enough because I was taking the hit for everyone and there were only so many hits I was willing to take before I came back fighting. So the easiest thing for me was to say, 'no problem. I'll go, no problem.'
'But he (Lerner) said, 'no, no' and there were so many things going on. (There was talk of) a takeover, things were going back and forth but I did offer to resign.
'I knew that the club needed big players to come in and we couldn't go and get them. I remember speaking to (Romelu) Lukaku when I first went there. I spoke to (Wilfried) Bony in one window as well.
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'It is a brilliant club but I always think a team that has won the European Cup should not be in the position it is in.'
Lambert has recruited the likes of Norwich old boys Elliott Bennett, Simeon Jackson and Elliott Ward in his bid to bring the good times back to Ewood Park. The Scot is adamant he is now a better operator for his dark days at Villa.
'That craziness and putting myself under major stress, I probably handle it a lot better than before,' he said. 'I just don't get caught up in the whole scenario of what has gone on. I try and keep a level head really. My time is before the game and after it, and the lads are a really good group to work with. That is half the battle.'
