WHEN they talk about the manager of the year, many talk about Brendan Rodgers, others speak of Alan Pardew and the predictable utter the name of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Look on the betting lists and with one bookmaker you’ll even find Roberto Mancini, a man who has spent almost infinite sums of money to seemingly secure second place and a Champions League group stage exit, above the man who perhaps deserves most credit.

He is the man who brings his team to Ewood Park on Saturday, the manager of Norwich City.

His name is Paul Lambert and his talents came to the attention of some in this area quite some time ago.

After guiding League Two Wycombe to a Carling Cup semi final, Lambert famously mastermined Colchester’s remarkable 7-1 win at Carrow Road, in Norwich’s first game following relegation to League One in 2009. Understandably, the Canaries wasted little time in swiftly employing the man.

Lambert transformed Norwich’s fortunes almost immediately and it was then that Burnley first became interesting in taking him to Turf Moor.

Brendan Flood revealed only last week that the Scot was his first choice for the job when Owen Coyle left, and the Clarets made an official approach a year later when Brian Laws departed.

Norwich were in no mood to let their boss go and it is easy to see why.

In two-and-a-half years, without vast funds or virtually any stars, Lambert has taken Norwich from the bottom of the third tier to 11th in the Premier League.

Grant Holt, a man who was missing from a yard for Shrewsbury against Accrington Stanley only three years ago, is now being tipped by some for an England call.

For all of the national media’s fawning over Rodgers’ ‘Swansea-lona’, who admittedly continued to impress against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, they still sit a point behind Norwich in the table.

It should also be remembered that Rodgers took over a side who had made great progress under Roberto Martinez and Paulo Sousa, not one exploding like a clown car as Norwich were under Bryan Gunn.

No-one has changed the fortunes of their club quite like Lambert.

He will not court the limelight, but there can be no other choice for manager of the year.