Tribunal Done: Time To Let Sleeping Lambert Lie

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The off-season is all about what thuds and crashes can be heard from the wings of an empty stage, aka the pitch, and one clearly well-timed piece of news was that Paul Lambert accepted improved terms at Norwich.

Their announcement, seemingly, was designed to temper any victimisation City finds might have felt from the earlier same-day revelations that Norwich had received by writ a court order saying they owed the U`s £425,000 for the man`s services, as per initial valuation and finally decided by the publicised tribunal.

Response stage-managed much?

Then again, less than half-a-million pounds is probably a fair sum to effectively pay for an instant elevation back to the relative Championship promise-land, from whence Colchester came in 2008 and have been trying to return to ever since. It`s where Lambert has impressively lead Norwich after less than one full season in charge, after taking the role in the early weeks of the season, subsequent to their previous demotion.

So, while U`s Chairman and owner Robbie Cowling continues to care admirably about the intricacies of who did what to induce whom, when they did and where nine months ago as Lambert really was induced to break his contract nine months ago, this space would say: enough is enough.

Norwich have admitted that they`ve done wrong and, albeit begrudgingly, agreed to pay the price.

Lambert has also now been given his much-deserved long term deal for winning; doing as directed.

That he has done so at a club always destined to remain in the distant eye-line of all involved at Colchester United is incidental, really. He had the makings of a good manager while with the blue and whites, but never proved it - out of choice, rather than necessity, one feels - but still, facts are facts.

And here`s another one: Lambert left Colchester United almost a year ago. He`s past-tense, history -a pantomime villain desisted to discolour the pages of side history books as an anti-hero who walked out in a love-hate whirlwind created by one par-excellence 7-1 victory.

Sure, all the greats of modern football are specialists in making accident look like design - increasing their own personal odds in life`s lottery by mingling luck and skill. Yet, for all his playing with power and illusions of knifing clairvoyance, it`s undeniable that Lambert just happened to be in the right place at the right time when his Colchester chargers annihilated City one halcyon summer`s afternoon.

The rump is that even Aidy Boothroyd, the man hired to succeed him, has since moved to Coventry, further underscoring the ephemeral nature of football management for U`s fans.

Lambert and all who sail with him are yesterday`s news now, as far as we`re concerned; now, since we`ve been paid in principle if not actually, so is this whole messy tribunal business.

Perhaps it`s time someone told Robbie Cowling, to whom we now say once more a very big thanks-but-no-thanks regarding his desire to still press a points deduction. You've done us proud, but let's just let sleeping Lamberts lie.




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