Stoke ‘delighted’ to appoint Paul Lambert; fans not

Matt Stead

Paul Lambert has been appointed as the new manager of Stoke, the Premier League club have announced.

Stoke used the word ‘delighted’ to confirm the appointment of Lambert on a two-and-a-half-year deal, which is more than can be said for their fanbase.

Lambert has been out of work since leaving Wolves in May, having guided the club to 15th place in the Championship.

He replaces Mark Hughes, with the Potters 18th in the Premier League table.

“Paul greatly impressed us with his knowledge of our squad and had a clear plan of how he would improve our results,” said chairman Peter Coates.

“He’s a man who backed himself as a player, none more so than when he turned down contract offers in Scotland to go on trial in the German Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund, and it’s obvious he adopts the same approach as a manager.”

Vice-chairman John Coates added: “Paul has been successful in management at clubs with a strong and stable background and with local ownership – the kind of foundation we are able to give to our managers.

“We were determined to appoint someone with Premier League experience or an extensive knowledge of English football. We look forward to working with Paul and supporting him to help achieve our goals.”

Lambert will officially take charge on Tuesday, with Stoke facing Manchester United on Monday.