• ‘I have always done it the hard way’ says new Stoke manager• Lambert says funds available but defensive work needed in trainingPaul Lambert insisted he was not bothered whether he was 50th or first choice for the Stoke City job after admitting that he thought his chance to manage in the Premier League again had gone. Speaking on the day he was presented as Mark Hughes’s successor, Lambert also defended his record as Aston Villa manager and pointed to his time as a player at Borussia Dortmund as evidence that he can prove people wrong.Out of work since leaving Wolves in the summer, Lambert gave the impression that he was determined to make the most of an unexpected opportunity after Stoke missed out on their top three managerial targets. Gary Rowett, Quique Sánchez Flores and Martin O’Neill were ahead of Lambert on the shortlist but decided that the Stoke job was not for them. Related: Paul Lambert may not be a sexy name for Stoke but his CV suggests survival | Paul MacInnes Related: Romelu Lukaku rounds off easy Manchester United win against Stoke Continue readingreadfullarticle
