West Ham boss Sam Allardyce’s infatuation with Southampton’s Rickie Lambert just won’t go away.
Big Sam revealed before yesterday’s 3-1 win over Lambert’s Southampton:
“We were keen on Rickie Lambert,”
“There was some interest the chairman expressed but it never materialised in the end.
“He’s had an outstanding career, starting at the bottom and never giving up. Moving into his thirties he’s now playing with intelligence and skill greater than he has ever done before.
“He’s conquered the question marks about whether he could step up to the top level. I think he’s a fantastic icon for any youngster. At the moment he’s a master of his position. He scores all sorts of goals, including free kicks.
‘Muhammad Ali’s great saying is “to be a world champion, the will must be stronger than the skill”. You have to have that desire and belief to achieve a long and successful career, with Rickie because he’ll appreciate it far more than anyone else.
‘He’s been down there getting bullied and screamed at in the lower divisions, which is what happens when the manager is under pressure. He’s coped with all of that and got better and better.”
