IPSWICH TOWN are reportedly set to sack Paul Lambert and replace him with Neil Warnock… despite handing the Scot a five-year contract on January 1.
The Tractor Boys tasked the former Aston Villa and Norwich manager with winning promotion back to the Championship – having overseen their relegation from the second tier last season.
The campaign started well this time out, with Lambert even winning League One Manager of the Month in August.
But things have since gone south, and the Mirror claim that the 50-year-old is now “on the brink”, with Warnock being lined up to replace him at Portman Road.
Lambert was handed a new five-year contract on January 1, with owner Marcus Evans lavishing the Scot with praise on the club’s website.
He said: “We would all, of course, like to be announcing this on the back of a better run but short term performance does not change the importance to the Club of supporting a management team who I believe over the next few years will take Ipswich Town back to where we all want and expect it to be.”
At the time it looked like Town were destined for a swift return to the Championship.
Things since, however, have gone swiftly downhill.
Paul Lambert’s men have picked up just four points from their last eight games – a run that has seen them fall outside the playoff places.
In fact, following last night’s dismal 1-0 home defeat to Joey Barton’s Fleetwood Town, Ipswich are now six points behind the Cod Army in sixth-place.
In Warnock, they would be recruiting a manager with vast experience in winning promotion, with eight on his CV to date.
After leaving Cardiff City in November it appeared that the 71-year-old’s managerial career had ground to a halt.
He even appeared on the Sky Sports programme Soccer Saturday over the weekend, as he appeared to be enjoying his semi-retirement.
But it’s difficult to believe that Warnock would resist the temptation of getting one more promotion on his glittering EFL CV.
