Ipswich Town boss Paul Lambert’s first pre-match press conference of the new season saw the Blues’ manager address frustrations in the transfer market and his relationship with owner Marcus Evans.
Is there anything close in terms of signings, Paul?
PL: No, unless they've come in the back door. That's frustrating but that's football here.
We identified guys and it's not materialised, so that's where we are.
What's been the issue? Clubs asking for too much money, players asking for too much?
PL: Work it out yourself. You work it out yourself.
A lack of budget here? A lack of investment?
PL: You work it out yourself.
They're not coming and that's the way it is. We'll have to go with what we've got and the lads will give us everything.
We're really young but we're ready for the game.
Has it surprised you how difficult it's been to bring in players this summer or did you foresee this?
PL: It's the way the club's run. That's how it is.
Do you need a bit of help from the owner? Do you need more funds to have a real crack at this season?
PL: Of course we do.
We've brought in two free transfers and one loan. Maybe one short-term (Wilson).
You don't need to be Einstein to see that.
Is that enough to get out of the division?
PL: No, it's not. Absolutely not.
So you really must be tearing your hair out? It's clear from your body language that you are frustrated.
PL: I'm not happy with the situation and the way things are but the club's a brilliant club with a great fanbase behind it.
The lads need a bit of help and we can't sit here and say what's happening is right.
Does Marcus understand your frustrations?
PL: Yeah.
But he's not willing to do too much about it?
PL: I don't know, you'll have to ask Marcus that.
Is that going to change over the course of the next few weeks?
PL: I really don't know.
Are you going to have to go down the route of more loan? You've said you only wanted one or two…
PL: I don't know and that's me being totally honest. All I'm interested in is the game tomorrow.
Can you have a real go this season and be up there, pushing?
PL: We have to try it but we don't know.
We have guys who have never played at this level and young guys from the academy. The side's really young with one or two experienced guys, so nobody knows what's going to happen.
When we're on song and everyone's fit, we're a really good side.
Is it still more experienced players you're looking for to supplement this young side?
PL: You can mix up experience and age.
Experience only comes with games. People can play 200 games and still only be 21 years old - that's experience.
We have to try and boost the squad, that's apparent.
Are you feeling the pressure of getting Ipswich up? Be that from Marcus or the supporters.
PL: You've got to be kidding me on? Pressure?
I played for massive clubs and managed massive clubs. That's been my life.
Nothing's going to happen to me. It really doesn't matter to me, what happens, whether I'm here or not.
The most important thing's the football club and the supporters. That's the most important thing.
It's not me or the staff. It's the team and the club.
Whatever Marcus does I'm not going to roll out my bed in the morning and be worried about what's going to happen.
How's your relationship with Marcus at the moment?
PL: It's good. He says his bit and I say my bit and somewhere along the line we try and meet in the middle.
It sounds like you're on a different page at the moment, the two of you?
PL: No, you're saying that.
We're not on a different page. It's not my money.
Would it be failure if Ipswich Town didn't go up at the first time of asking?
PL: Why do we have a divine right to go up? Answer me that.
Sunderland were relegated and didn't go up last season. Nobody has a divine right to do it.
We have to earn the right to go up.
What I do know is that the club has an unbelievable fanbase that will drive it on. You use the emotion of the crowd.
We're a good side where we're on it. We'll lose games but we'll also give it a right good go.
The crowd were amazing last season but do you now know you have to start winning games?
PL: Am I worried about getting sacked? No.
He can do it in the morning or he can do it Sunday. It doesn't matter. But the most important thing's the club.
Whether I'm here or not is irrelevant. The most important thing is Ipswich Town Football Club.
It would help to keep the fans onside, wouldn't it?
PL: The fans are brilliant and I have nothing but praise for them.
It's there and they're all coming back which is great. That's the most important thing.
Are you in a situation where you have to sell in order to buy now?
PL: There could be a bit of that, yeah. But we have to wait and see.
That's the challenge of management at times and you don't mind that because it can happen.
The size of the club and the expectancy level is really big because of the great teams of the past and the history.
If you have to sell to bring people in then that will be a factor.
Has there been interest in any of your players?
PL: Apart from Judgey (from QPR) then I haven't really heard too much.
You talked about wanting to bring three in last week. Is that still the number?
PL: Yeah but they're not coming in before tomorrow that's for sure.
Hopefully Nolan and Edwards then start to come back and we can get stronger.
Do you have any regrets about taking the job?
PL: No, I wouldn't change for the world being in front of the supporters because the support's been brilliant.
The feeling has been unrivalled and I wouldn't change that for any money in the world.
There's frustration in the way things don't get done as quick but that's football.
It's certainly a bit different.
Is that down to the structure of the club? The owner is obviously involved in other businesses but is involved in all the transfer negotiations.
PL: I don't know because I've not been here too long.
I've been at a lot of clubs and played at a lot of clubs so maybe it is a (different) way here.
All I'm interested in is the football club, the team and the support. No outside influence on anything else.
There has been a few quid come in from Ellis…
PL: Hang on, the Ellis Harrison money goes back to Bristol Rovers. All of it.
So there's no money come in.
How does that work then?
PL: Sell-on, whatever it is. It doesn't come in here. If it did I'm pretty sure we would have spent it.
Have you seen me buy anybody?
It must be frustration with money coming in from sell-ons on Matt Clarke, Tyrone Mings…
PL: Mings, Clarke, maybe Webster. We haven't bought one player.
I don't know if the money has come in because nobody's told me. I don't know.
It depends on how the deals were structured when the money comes in. It could be years down the line or it could be now.
We've not bought a player.
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