Norwich are prepared to fight off any advances for manager Paul Lambert.
Canaries Chief Exec braced for enquries over highly-rated boss
Norwich are prepared to fight off any advances for manager Paul Lambert.
The Canaries boss had his name chanted by Aston Villa fans during their 2-0 defeat at Carrow Road on Sunday, and 24 hours later Lambert was favourite with some bookies to succeed Alex McLeish following his sacking by Villa.
The East Anglian outfit's style won them many friends during their first season back in the Premier League, which saw them finish comfortably in mid-table.
David McNally, City's chief executive, accepts that rival clubs are likely to be looking in Lambert's direction but is ready to battle to keep the 42-year-old former Scottish international and Celtic midfielder.
Fight
"We would not welcome any enquiry for our football manager, or any of the club's football players," declared McNally.
"We will do everything we can and fight this as hard as we have ever fought.
"If I was at another football club and I was looking for another manager he'd be top of my list.
"In any business you need to look at what might happen - the what ifs.
"But we're focused on keeping our manager and the footballers he wants to retain at the club and to bring in better footballers to complement the club.
"I want other clubs to covet our manager and to want our players. Because if they do, that means we're doing something right.
Huge
Lambert himself has looked back with some pride on the progress the club has made since his arrival from Colchester United, just days after they had thrashed Norwich 7-1 on the opening day of the 2009/10 season.
"It has been unbelievable what has happened here in three seasons - it is never easy to get one year of success, let alone three," he said.
"Nobody expected this within three years. The club gave itself seven years to get in the Premier League, and that was allowing to be relegated again, so the rise has been huge."
