"A completely different club" - Paul Lambert issues Ipswich Town, Kieran McKenna claim | OneFootball

Ipswich Town have been on a meteoric rise following Kieran McKenna's appointment in late 2021, and the Tractor Boys will play Premier League football next season.

When the Northern Irishman took over, Ipswich were a League One side who were struggling to get out of the third tier, following Championship relegation in 2019.

Paul Lambert was the man in charge when the club were relegated, but he remained at the helm until February 2021, when he departed after it became apparent that the Tractor Boys weren't going to win promotion.

Lambert was replaced by Paul Cook, but things got even worse under the current Chesterfield boss, before he was sacked in December and replaced by then-Manchester United coach McKenna.

The rest is history, and the club has truly been transformed in the last two-and-a-half years.

Paul Lambert on Ipswich Town's meteoric rise

Having spent two-and-a-half years at Portman Road during some of Ipswich Town's darkest days, Paul Lambert is well-placed to discuss the club's meteoric rise.

Ipswich have won back-to-back-promotions, emulating Lambert's Norwich side 13 years ago, and the Scotsman is full of praise for the work that Kieran McKenna has done.

Lambert told Football League World: "Ipswich Town are a completely different club to the one I left in 2021. Different ownership, I think there is only one player left from my time there.

“Paul Cook took over after me and then Kieran McKenna had to change the whole dressing room and that's what he's done."

Lambert's final game as Ipswich boss was a 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers on February 27, 2021, and not a single player in the Ipswich squad that day is still at the club, which is testament to the work Kieran McKenna has done in overhauling, and improving the squad.

Lambert said: "The lads have done pretty much similar to what I did at Norwich in going for back-to-back promotions, and Kieran's done a fabulous job, so big credit to him.

"Ipswich are a great club with a great fanbase behind them."

Kieran McKenna could take inspiration from Paul Lambert's Norwich side

Whilst Ipswich fans may not want to be compared with their bitter rivals, they should take inspiration from Norwich City's performances in the Premier League under Paul Lambert.

As mentioned above, Lambert led the Canaries to the Premier League in 2011 after back-to-back promotions, and then he kept Norwich in the Premier League, before departing for Aston Villa in the summer of 2012.

Norwich finished the 2011/12 season as 12th in the Premier League and on 47 points, comfortably avoiding any threat of relegation.

Considering the Canaries had been in League One just two years prior, this was an incredible achievement, and it was done without splashing the cash too.

Of course, Norwich made new signings, but they didn't completely overhaul their squad, and they used the momentum they had built under Lambert to have a good season in the Premier League.

It could be argued that the jump between the Premier League and Championship wasn't quite as vast then, but McKenna should be looking at this as a blueprint.

There's no doubt that Ipswich need to recuit this summer, but they should avoid making too many changes and risk losing any momentum they have from the squad that got them in this position.