Lambert looks to young Canaries

Tom Adeyemi is one of Lambert's teenage first-team regulars

Norwich City boss Paul Lambert says the emergence of the club's Academy players is the key to his plans at Carrow Road.

Lambert has given first-team football to a number of teenagers since replacing Bryan Gunn in August.

And Lambert told BBC Radio Norfolk that he feels the progression of young players is crucial, to help fans relate with the first-team squad.

"I think it's important the club has an identity to it with the young kids coming through the ranks," he said.

"If they keep learning they've got the chance to do something in professional football."

The 1997 Champions League winner was also keen to stress that his young Canaries should not get caught up in the trappings of the modern professional.

"As long as they don't get side-tracked and don't go big- headed or anything like that, driving in this place with BMWs, they'll be fine.

"But they've certainly got a chance.

"If we can try and help them along the way this club could have a real nucleus of young players."

After helping Korey Smith, Tom Adeyemi and Luke Daley cement a regular place in the first-team squad, Declan Rudd is now a strong contender to take over from Fraser Forster in goal.

The Norwich manager admits that he is not comfortable with the uncertainty surrounding Forster's future, when his loan from Newcastle expires in January.

"That's my point with the whole loan system," said Lambert. "He might want to go back and you don't really hold his cards, the other club do."

But Rudd has so far shown his worth as a potential long-term replacement.

The 18-year-old's first job in English league football was to pick the ball out of the back of the net, having come on to replace the red-carded Forster against Gillingham, only to be beaten by Simeon Jackson's penalty.

But he was preferred to summer signing Michael Theoklitos in the next game when Forster was suspended, keeping a clean sheet on his first start against Leyton Orient in a 4-0 win.

And, although Forster was available again, he then retained his place for the next game, the 5-1 win over Bristol Rovers.

"Declan's come in and done great," added Lambert. "He's pushing really hard. We'll just have to wait and see what happens with Fraser."

Rudd, who has been capped at every England level up to Under-19s, is the latest off the same Colney production line that produced Rob Green and Joe Lewis.