Fletcher: Lambert will stick rocket up Stoke

SCOTLAND stalwart Darren Fletcher insists Paul Lambert is the man to ‘put a rocket up’ underperforming Stoke stars and drag the Potters out of the relegation mire.

The former Aston Villa, Norwich and Blackburn manager has been named boss at the Britannia following the dismissal of Mark Hughes, and saw his new charges slip to a 3-0 defeat against Manchester United on Monday night.

That result saw Stoke remain in English Premier League drop-zone as a miserable run of just one win in nine matches continues, ensuring Lambert will be under no illusions about the size of his task after penning a twoand-a-half year deal.

Nevertheless, Fletcher reckons the ex-Celtic ace is up to the job and will ensure survival by getting back to basics.

Fletcher said: “He’ll look at that squad and say ‘there is definitely potential there, but I’ve got to sort them out, organise them and get a rocket up a few of them’.

“We’re in a relegation battle. This is what it is, and it’s not about fancy football and flicks and tricks.

“It’s about rolling your sleeves up and battling. It’s about working hard for your team-mates every day on the training ground, having a gameplan and running yourself into the ground.

“You’ve got to turn this stuff around and the only way that’ll happen is by digging yourself out of it, you can’t rely on luck.”

However, he is adamant the j ob is far from a poison chalice as he lauded the quality of a squad which includes the likes of Jack Butland, Joe Allen and Xherdan Shaqiri, as well as a swathe of experienced campaigners – not least Fletcher himself.

He added: “I don’t think it’s as big a task as many people think because we have a good squad and I’m sure we will bring in a number of players. We are in a false position, although it is easy to say that. You need to go out on the pitch and rectify that and we haven’t been good enough.

“We have a lot of experience and a great captain in Ryan Shawcross, who is a great voice in the dressing room. We’ve got to lead by example and follow the manager’s instructions to the letter and be his voice.”