Lambert's move inevitable after success at Norwich, says Huckerby

Former Norwich winger Darren Huckerby feels the success Paul Lambert brought to Carrow Road made it inevitable he would move on.

Aston Villa are reported to be meeting Lambert's representatives today over their vacancy.

Lambert, 42, took the Canaries up from npower League One after being brought in from Colchester in August 2009, and then immediately on into the Barclays Premier League, where they finished a creditable 12th place.

Huckerby - who played 174 times for Norwich, helping them win promotion to the top flight in 2004 - can understand why Lambert has been linked with other clubs.

"It is all speculation at the minute, but there is too many people saying it for it not to be true.

"We have got to look at the last three years, where we have come from and where we are now, and say thank you to Paul Lambert if he does go," Huckerby said on TalkSPORT.

"Obviously he is going to be well sought after. What he has done over the past three years means there are teams who are going to be looking at him.

"The Norwich board do not want to lose him, but it looks like that has what has happened.

"Eventually with his record and what he has done at Norwich, it looked like someone would poach him - but that is football, it has always been the same, when managers do well, they move on.

"Villa have got the potential to go pretty high up in the league when they get all of their players back."

Should Lambert leave Carrow Road, then the likes of Birmingham boss Chris Hughton and Cardiff's Malky Mackay, a former Norwich player, would be potential candidates.

Huckerby, 26, feels the Norfolk club are an attractive proposition.

"It will probably be the same kind of thing now for Norwich, with a young manager coming up who is pushing on," he said.

"Chris Hughton and Malky Mackay, there will be a lot of candidates for the Norwich job if it does come up.

"Norwich have got a massive fan base, the club is established now, and it is a good time to be Norwich manager.

"Whoever comes in will be taking a superb job, but it will be a tough job because they are all Paul Lambert's players they have all come from the lower leagues so it is still going to be a big ask to have a succesful season."

Villa only avoided relegation from the Barclays Premier League by two points and had significantly to reduce their wage bill after debts of more than £50million for the year ending May 2011.

Owner Randy Lerner is hoping it will be a case of third time lucky in terms of replacing Alex McLeish.

He held talks with former Manchester United star Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but he opted to stay at Molde in Norway for family reasons - although he was not formally offered the Villa post.

Villa also spoke with advisors of Wigan boss Roberto Martinez, who had initially rejected the chance to replace Gerard Houllier 12 months ago.

But Latics boss Dave Whelan yesterday claimed Martinez, who held talks with Liverpool, was staying put.

Norwich chief executive David McNally said this afternoon on Twitter: "Club statement due shortly."

PA