Paul Lambert was again in Dortmund to observe his outdated staff just a few years in the past when he obtained a textual content message from Jude Bellingham. The youthful man needed to present the Champions League winner his jersey after the sport.
‘We met up and he had his shirt for me, which was pretty,’ begins Lambert. ‘It was soaking moist. I stated to him, “Jude, you understand the key of being a high participant? You don’t sweat!”. He laughed, we had a chat and received an image. He’d stated to me, “All proper, legend”.
‘I’m not one for all that, actually. However I simply thought he was an excellent child. I’d watched them prepare the day earlier than and phoned my pal immediately. “I’ve simply seen two younger lads,” I advised him. “Haaland and Bellingham. They’re going to be superstars!”.’
That sensible child has since change into that celebrity and, on Saturday at Wembley within the colors of Actual Madrid, he’ll intention to affix Lambert and a singular band of Brits — Steve McManaman, Owen Hargreaves and Gareth Bale — who’ve gained the Champions League with overseas golf equipment. Oh, and it’s Borussia Dortmund in opposition.
As a lot as Lambert admires Bellingham, the previous midfielder will probably be among the many bricks of the Yellow Wall in London. Absolutely Actual win although, proper?
Paul Lambert met up with Craig Hope to reminisce about his time at Borussia Dortmund – and once they gained the Champions League as underdogs in 1997
He went on a 10-month odyssey from unknown and unemployed to Champions League winner
‘No!’ says the Scot. ‘Have a look at my time, in 1997, everybody was on Juventus to win. This time, everyone seems to be on Actual. I additionally assume destiny is a good factor. On the final day of final season, Dortmund misplaced the league. I used to be at Parkhead watching Celtic and my daughter was giving me updates. I believed she was joking when she stated they have been dropping 2-0 to Mainz. Jude was a part of that squad. A 12 months later, in opposition to Jude within the last, it’s within the stars for them to win it.
‘They’ve additionally been written off because the begin. The Group of Demise after which Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain within the knockouts. They’ve at all times discovered a manner. With that crowd behind them, and I’ll be a part of it, I’m going 3-2 Dortmund in a basic!’
If Dortmund’s journey to this last is storied and heroic, it nonetheless doesn’t evaluate to that of Lambert’s personal odyssey from unknown and unemployed to Champions League winner in simply 10 months.
It’s outstanding that the story has by no means been dramatised on display screen — ‘Martin Compston may play me, I feel’ — however at the very least which means Lambert can relive his journey with us.
He’s en path to Glasgow for a Celtic versus Dortmund legends match once we meet at Shut Home Golf Membership on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. He prefers the Yellow Wall. It’s, although, a golf membership to the celebs, together with Alan Shearer and Lee Westwood.
Whereas we chat, a member of Take That’s having espresso close by. Former Newcastle favorite Steve Watson additionally wanders in, however later says: ‘I didn’t wish to interrupt, Lambo was in full circulation!’ Little marvel, not one of the above have a narrative like this. It’s one in all implausible odds, starting in the summertime of 1996. So, who and what was Paul Lambert again then?
‘Skint, for starters!’ he says. ‘I used to be really tapping my mum and pa for just a few quid. My dad was a roof tiler and my mum a housewife — and their son, the footballer, is asking them for cash!’
Lambert was 26 and, having made his senior debut aged 15 with St Mirren, was 12 seasons right into a profession spent completely in Scotland. However out of contract at Motherwell — Bosman free transfers had simply been launched — he determined to ‘toss a coin within the air’.
Jude Bellingham needed to present him his shirt just a few years in the past and Lambert tipped the teenager to change into a ‘celebrity’… however hopes he will get beat on Saturday
He was out of contract at Motherwell, wanted money from his dad and mom, and trialled at PSV earlier than becoming a member of Borussia Dortmund in 1996
His team-mate, Rob McKinnon, had left Motherwell to signal for Twente within the Netherlands and he knew an agent who may get him some trials. Packing his boots, and with a few quid from mum and pa in his again pocket, Lambert flew from Glasgow to Amsterdam and caught a prepare to Enschede to satisfy Ton van Dalen, the chain-smoking Dutchman who would change his life. He’d organized a trial at PSV Eindhoven, who had simply bought Ronaldo to Barcelona.
‘They wanted some velocity up entrance and Dick Advocaat performed me proper wing. I used to be by no means a fast winger…’
You have been by no means a fast midfielder, Paul. He laughs, fortunately. ‘Precisely! I ought to have seen that coming… However, stupidly sufficient, I scored two targets from the wing and did OK. I knew, although, I wasn’t what Dick was searching for. That was honest sufficient.’
Again within the automobile with Van Dalen, his nicotine-stained paws discovered high gear and the autobahns of Germany. Dortmund was their subsequent vacation spot. ‘What, for a vacation?’ requested Lambert. All of the whereas, he had his head out of the window looking for contemporary air.
On the Westfalenstadion, they met Dortmund chief Michael Meier. ‘I didn’t perceive a phrase however, after 20 minutes, they gave me a little bit of paper and stated, “That’s the contract. Do properly, it’s yours — if not, you’re heading dwelling”.
‘I thanked Mr Meier and stated, “However right here’s the factor, I’ve received no cash. Motherwell don’t even know I’m right here”. He stated, “There’s 200 Marks. In the event you signal, give me it again. In the event you don’t, don’t fear about it”. I knew then I solely had just a few days to show myself.’
The staff have been on account of land in Lubeck 4 hours north of Dortmund and Lambert was instructed to satisfy them. ‘I’ve by no means been outdoors of Glasgow, how do I get there?’ he requested. A driver arrived and so, in a top-of-the-range Mercedes, he was again on the autobahn. ‘This man, Walter Maahs — he’s solely about 5 ft tall — advised me he may get us there in two hours,’ says Lambert. ‘I nonetheless joke with him now — my knuckles have been white, he was like Lewis Hamilton! We received there and I noticed hundreds of yellow and black ready to satisfy the staff off the aircraft. I believed, “I’m out of my depth right here”.
‘I received on the bus and it was filled with European Championship and World Cup winners. I attempted about 5 seats, “You possibly can’t sit there, that’s such and such’s seat”. It’s intimidating. However then, on the pitch, you click on into gear. This was my likelihood, I needed to take it.’
‘I received on the bus and it was filled with European Championship and World Cup winners. I attempted about 5 seats, “You possibly can’t sit there, that’s such and such’s seat”‘
Lambert began the primary recreation of the season to his shock and have become a daily for them
4 trial video games later and, with Ottmar Hitzfeld having swiftly transformed Lambert from an attacking midfielder right into a holder, the supervisor advised him he had finished sufficient to win a spot as a squad participant. ‘Nice by me!’ stated Lambert.
To his shock, he began the primary recreation of the season. ‘A catastrophe, actually. We received beat 4-2 at Leverkusen and I used to be all over. However then, at dwelling to Dusseldorf, we gained 4-0 and I arrange two. Every part went my manner. That they had simply signed Paulo Sousa from Juventus and we had Karl-Heinz Riedle and Stephane Chapuisat coming off the bench. I believed, “I should be proper on it right here”. I advised myself I wasn’t popping out of the staff.’
So, how did Lambert go from sidekick of Billy Davies at Motherwell to beginning alongside the likes of Sousa, Andy Moller and Matthias Sammer, who would win the Ballon d’Or that 12 months?
‘Inside weeks I had modified as a participant and particular person. That development would have taken me years in Scotland. Hastily, I had unbelievable confidence. That got here from these within the dressing room. I used to see it in them.
‘I turned Germanised. I wrote every little thing down — what we did in coaching, what I ate, the nutritional vitamins, how we performed. I used to be with the most effective, so I needed to be the most effective, I needed to be like them. As soon as I hit that degree, I believed, “That’s it, I ain’t coming down from right here”.’
And he didn’t. Come April, there was a Champions League semi-final in opposition to Manchester United and Roy Keane, who would later be Lambert’s assistant at Aston Villa. ‘I used to be established by then and couldn’t give a s*** who I used to be up in opposition to. With Roy, it by no means fazed me. I used to be away from the hype round United. I didn’t care what they considered me, I knew I used to be in a powerful staff.’
Dortmund gained 1-0 in each legs to arrange the ultimate in opposition to holders Juventus in Munich. This time, it was Zinedine Zidane in opposition. ‘You don’t realise how massive he’s till you’re within the tunnel. However he was so sleek, he may sway and glide each methods. We knew he may damage us. We kicked off and Paulo realised Zidane was on his facet. “Paul, let’s change it!” he stated. So we did. Folks say, “Get tight”. You needed to be like a fur jacket on Zidane!’
Nevertheless it was Juventus worrying about Lambert when his cross created the opening objective for Riedle within the twenty ninth minute. The Germany striker quickly headed a second and, after Alessandro Del Piero pulled one again, substitute Lars Ricken made it 3-1 along with his first contact. The person-of-the-match, nonetheless, was Lambert.
‘I used to be with the most effective, so I needed to be the most effective, I needed to be like them. As soon as I hit that degree, I believed, “That’s it, I ain’t coming down from right here”’
Andy Moller advised Lambert not too long ago that he would not have been the identical participant with out him
Within the dressing room afterwards, Riedle got here good on an earlier promise and gave Lambert his Rolex. ‘He was getting f*** all off me, I’m from Glasgow!’
Extra not too long ago, in a textual content trade with Lambert, Moller wrote: ‘I wouldn’t have been the identical participant that season if you happen to weren’t behind me.’
The attacking midfielder had scored the profitable penalty within the semi-final shootout in opposition to England at Euro 96 the earlier summer season, so it’s little marvel they turned good mates.
‘Andy was speedy, at every little thing he did. We turned team-mates and opponents. Each day, earlier than coaching, we’d go to the basement and play head tennis. We’d come again up after an hour, dripping with sweat. But when ever there was a simple job in soccer, it was get it and provides it to Andy and let him do his stuff.’
Whereas Riedle — his good friend to at the present time — received nothing in return, Lambert did settle along with his mum and pa. ‘They’ve been properly taken care of! I’m so glad they’re nonetheless right here and that I’m so near them. And to have them on the recreation in Munich was particular.
‘They have been extra emotional than me and got here working right down to the entrance. I couldn’t give them a hug, I may solely contact their fingers by way of the railings. My mum was carrying a Juventus scarf, consider it or not. An Italian requested to swap together with her. I’ve received my jersey in a body with that scarf. They have been so proud.’
There was one other particular person someplace in Lambert’s ideas that evening, nevertheless it took 25 years to trace him down. That was Jean-Marc Bosman, the Belgian footballer who fought by way of the European Courtroom of Justice to permit the free motion of gamers on the finish of their contract. A documentary in 2020 revealed how his life had descended into alcoholism and poverty.
‘I watched the documentary and located it actually unhappy,’ says Lambert. ‘I believed, “I want to talk to this man”. I managed to rearrange a Zoom name and he was sensible. I defined my story and the way, with out him, it might not have been attainable. I advised him I realised how low he had been. I thanked him for every little thing. He by no means will get the popularity he deserves. I believed, “I wish to make a degree of doing that”. I’m glad I did.’
By November of the next season, Lambert was on the transfer once more, to Celtic for £2million. He’s a dad of 4 now however, on the time, his first born, Christopher, was struggling febrile convulsions. The household have been advised the situation would final round 5 years and determined they wanted to be nearer to dwelling and the hospitals in Glasgow.
Lambert’s sixty fifth and last recreation for Dortmund was in opposition to Parma within the Champions League. The Yellow Wall serenaded him lengthy after full time and his automobile was draped in yellow and black with the message, ‘Please don’t go’. There’s a star with Lambert’s title on the pavement close to the stadium as we speak.
Lambert’s transfer to Celtic ‘broke his coronary heart’ nevertheless it was the appropriate factor to do for his son and household
Dortmund followers begged him to remain and now he pays visits again for legends matches (Pictured with Jurgen Klopp in 2013)
‘Leaving was the toughest factor I ever did in soccer. Did it break my coronary heart? 100 per cent. May I kick a ball for Celtic for 2 months? No, I used to be all over. I believed I’d made the largest mistake of my life. However I take a look at my son now and assume, “No, I did the appropriate factor”. He was a very powerful factor to me.’
My very own son, who’s eight, heard me making preparations to satisfy Lambert final week and talked about seeing a function about him on TV earlier than Dortmund’s semi-final with PSG. He needed to return alongside — faculty received in the way in which of that — so as an alternative recorded a query. What was it like profitable the Champions League with a staff everybody thought would lose?
‘We didn’t assume we’d lose, that’s why we gained!’ he replied in a video, with a message from which the present classic can take coronary heart.
It was then a lot appreciated when Lambert introduced with him a Dortmund jersey for my son, which he wore in a latest legends match. Unwashed however dry and contemporary, it was proof that the most effective gamers actually don’t must sweat.
