Paul Lambert and Owen Coyle - Born to Win?

Owen Coyle’s high profile move to Bolton as manager may have been big news in the past week, but there are other Scottish managers working miracles in the English Leagues. None are doing better than Paul Lambert, who has taken Norwich City into the promotion spots in League One.

There are many parallels between Coyle and Lambert. They have similar personalities. Both are hugely motivated and ambitious. Both are serious students of the game and expect the highest levels of commitment from those they work with. Where they differ is that Lambert’s playing career was mainly fulfilled at a higher level.

It’s not a well known fact that he was the first UK player to win a Champions League winners medal, or that he was the first UK player to win the European Cup or Champions League with a non-UK club, dating back to the start of the tournament in 1955.

Coyle and Lambert began their careers in similar fashions. Coyle was at Dumbarton when Lambert stepped up from Juvenile football to St Mirren. As a teenager he was quickly promoted to the first team and played in the winning Scotish Cup Final side of 1987. Buddies manager Alex Smith rated him highly and made sure that his name was to the fore in youth international squads.

By St Mirren standards Lambert was well-rewarded and he stayed with the Paisley side until 1993. By then his career had stumbled a little. St Mirren had been relegated and Lambert was often described as a ‘luxury player’. By his own admission he had lost some hunger from the game and was failing to live up to his potential. And that potential was still considerable. Whilst Coyle was a prolific scorer in the Scottish Leagues, he was never likely to reach the highest levels of the game. Around 1993 Lambert made a decision that he had to move on and push himself harder.

Motherwell signed him. Under Alex McLeish the Lanarkshire side had a brief spell as the ‘third force’ in Scottish football. Lambert’s midfield skills helped them qualify for the UEFA Cup. For provincial Scottish clubs playing in Europe is a major achievement. The draw was awaited with anticipation – Motherwell avoided the thankless trip to Eastern Europe and came out of the hat against Borussia Dortmund. Although beaten over the two legs Motherwell acquitted themselves very well and Lambert stood out as an influential midfield player.

Dortmund, under Omar Hitzfeld, were starting their spell as one of European football’s major forces. But it was something of a surprise when, in 1996, they came back to Motherwell to sign Lambert. They’d tracked him since the UEFA Cup meeting and were impressed with what they saw.

Lambert was a key player in Dortmund’s team of 96/7. They marched all the way to the Champions League Final with Lambert in their team. In the final, when they defeated Juventus 3-1, Lambert was given the job of man marking Zidane. Most people reckoned Lambert was the man of the match.

He learned a great deal in Germany. He learned about training methods, health and the commitment expected from top professionals. It contrasted with the ‘booze culture’ of Scottish football and made a lasting impression on Lambert. However, his family were unable to settle in Germany and it was as a consequence of that he moved back to Scotland with Celtic late in 1997.

Honours piled up as he was central to the success of the Celtic side of the late 90s and early 2000s. He won 40 international caps, compared to Own Coyle’s single appearance. Lambert played in the World Cup Finals and was generally regarded as Scotland’s top player at that time. But he was already looking to the next stage of his career, as a Coach. He undertook courses with the SFA at Largs but he wanted to widen his horizons. In his final year at Celtic the Glasgow club gave him leave of absence to complete his UEFA Coaching Licence in Germany. It was almost unknown for the German FA to allow non-nationals onto their course but Lambert’s credential were impressive.

Having gained all the necessary qualifications, Lambert’s career again began to parallel that of Coyle. Both started their coaching carers at middle order Scottish sides. Coyle was at Falkirk, Lambert was at Livingston. His tenure at the West Lothian side was unhappy as the club were split by boardroom difficulties and financial woes. Unhappy at his own performance, he resigned – just as Coyle left Falkirk because he felt it was not the right move for him at the time.

Lambert looked around for a job and was rewarded by Wycombe Wanderers. He helped them to a League Cup Semi Final against Chelsea. But he again re-signed because he felt that he could not take the club any further. Next stop was Colchester where he felt there was more potential – in his final game in charge they won 7-1 away to Norwich City. The Canaries moved in and offered him the job at Carrow Road and he took it.

Meanwhile Coyle had returned to management with St Johnstone, and then to Burnley and now Bolton. He may be the man in the Premiership at present but Lambert will not be far behind him. If it isn’t with Norwich in two years time then some other top flight club will recognise his potential and give him the opportunity.

Both men are talented and highly ambitious But the one word which sums up both of them is ‘winners’.