Paul Lambert: ‘Stoke will rebuild and come back stronger’

Paul Lambert has said that he is certain that Stoke City will make a return to the Premier League and declared himself “gutted for everybody at the club”.

The 48-year-old failed to steer Stoke to safety after becoming the club’s manager in January, and relegation was confirmed after their 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace this afternoon.

“I’m gutted for everybody at the football club, the supporters, everybody. It is a brilliant club and it will rebuild and be really strong, no two ways about it,” Lambert told Sky Sports.

“I thought the first half of the game we were well in it and got a really top, top goal. Second half we never got going, very like the Burnley second half. We’ve had leads and not saw it through in the last few games.

“But it’s not three games – you go way back to July, August time. That is when your season starts, and if you don’t start right and don’t get a grip of it, you end up in trouble and I think that is what has happened.”

Stoke spent 10 seasons in the Premier League, finishing in a high of 9th place for three successive seasons between 2014 and 2016.

Cover Photo: Britannia Stadium by John Lord used under license by CC BY 2.0.