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Lambert signed the deal this morning. EMPICS Sport/PA Sport
Martin No Neill

O'Neill speculation ends as Paul Lambert is appointed Stoke City boss

The Scotsman signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the Premier League strugglers.

STOKE CITY HAVE appointed Paul Lambert as the club’s new manager after a week of speculation linking Ireland boss Martin O’Neill the job.

The club announced the Scotsman signed a two-and-a-half year deal this morning and will meet the media later today.

It was widely expected that O’Neill was out of the running after a report in the Telegraph late yesterday said he had turned down the Premier League strugglers.

The club say they appointed the 48-year-old in part because:

“He’s a man who backed himself as a player, none more so than when he turned down contract offers in Scotland to go on trial in the German Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund, and it’s obvious he adopts the same approach as a manager,” according to Stoke’s Peter Coates.

The club also stated they were determined to “appoint someone with Premier League experience or an extensive knowledge of English football. We look forward to working with Paul and supporting him to help achieve our goals.”

Lambert’s managerial career began with Livingston and he coached Wycombe and Colchester before guiding Norwich to the Premier League with back-to-back promotions.

He has since held the top job at Aston Villa, Blackburn and, most recently, Wolves.

Lambert will be in the stands tonight as Stoke travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.

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