While one team may sack their manager, another is locking theirs up.
Aston Villa announced that Paul Lambert’s contract has been extended until June 2018, a very long time in managerial terms.
Lambert came on board at Villa in 2012, and really hasn’t found results. The club finished 15th in both seasons with Lambert on the touchline, including long spells flirting with relegation.
However, the Villans have shocked many with their form early on, currently sitting in second place behind Chelsea. With 10 out of a possible 12 points, could Paul Lambert be turning around his squad? Or is it merely a strong start from a mediocre team that will fizzle by Christmas?
There’s plenty of Premier League action to come, and few expect Villa to finish anywhere near their current position. Maybe Lambert has gotten a hold of his team, or maybe it’s just a run of luck. Maybe it’s even Roy Keane’s presence behind the bench…
In today’s Premier League, managers come and go like leaves in the wind. Arsene Wenger is the longest tenured manager in the league, coming to Arsenal in 1996. After Wenger, Alan Pardew has the longest tenure (for now), managing Newcastle since 2010. That leaves 18 other managers, all hired from 2012 and on.
In such a mercurial market, a four-year extension after only four games is a surprising move by Aston Villa’s management. Factor in the club’s unimpressive record overall under Lambert, and you could scratch your head even more.
Paul Lambert can celebrate his contract extension today, but looking ahead at Villa’s schedule, he has his hands full. Four consecutive matches against Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Everton, and Lambert’s glorious start could be rudely interrupted by four straight losses.
