Paul Lambert’s future as Stoke’s manager is unclear because of a two‑way break clause in his contract that gives either party the opportunity to terminate their agreement at the end of June. Although Lambert signed a two-and-a-half-year contract when he was appointed as Mark Hughes’s successor in January, it has emerged that the clause was inserted to give the manager and the club some protection and flexibility come the end of the season.
With Stoke now beginning to prepare for life in the Championship after they were relegated from the Premier League on Saturday, the clause in Lambert’s contract – he had a similar agreement in place during his time at Blackburn and Wolves – feels more significant and could be activated in the near future.
Stoke had indicated that Lambert was likely to remain as manager irrespective of relegation, with senior figures at the club initially impressed by the way the 48-year-old had managed to get the most out of the players at his disposal and tried to instil some discipline in the squad. But the season tailed off badly, with the 2-1 home defeat against Crystal Palace ending Stoke’s 10-year stay in the Premier League and extending the winless run under Lambert to 13 matches.
Lambert has suggested since the defeat by Palace that he would like to be given the opportunity to continue as manager and have the chance to lead Stoke back into the Premier League – something he achieved with Norwich – but no definitive decision has been made on that front, with the club still coming to terms with the blow of losing their Premier League status.
The break-clause means there would be no substantial financial cost to Stoke if they decided to cut Lambert loose and look in a different direction.
