Norwich have issued a firm hands-off warning to Aston Villa over Paul Lambert.
Alex McLeish was sacked this afternoon after less than a year in charge of Villa with Lambert the bookies favourite to succeed his former Motherwell boss.
Villa lost 2-0 to Norwich yesterday with the visiting fans singing the praises of the Celtic skipper.
That message was heard loud and clear by the Norwich board with chief executive David McNally, a former Celtic marketing adviser, quick to warn Villa away from Lambert.
“We would not welcome any enquiry for our football manager or any of the club’s football players,” McNally told BBC Radio Norfolk.
“We will do everything we can and fight this as hard as we have ever fought.
“If I was at another football club and I was looking for another manager he’d be top of my list.
“In any business you need to look at what might happen – the what ifs but we are focused on keeping our manager and the footballers he wants to retain at the club and to bring in better footballers to complement the club.
“I want other clubs to covet our manager and to want our players, because if they do that means we’re doing something right.
“It is almost obvious, isn’t it, that clubs would like to have them at their football club.”
Lambert joined Norwich in 2010 from Colchester and led the Canaries to back-to back promotions into the Premiership where they finished in 12th place.
CLICK HERE for SPL Presentation gallery
Follow Video Celts on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube