Chris Lakey Canaries boss Paul Lambert looked back on his first full week with his players and admitted - 'the message is getting through'. Lambert inherited a squad that was reeling not only from the opening-day shocker at home to Lambert's Colchester side, but also to the dismissal of manager Bryan Gunn six days later.

Chris Lakey

Canaries boss Paul Lambert looked back on his first full week with his players and admitted - “the message is getting through”.

Lambert inherited a squad that was reeling not only from the opening-day shocker at home to Lambert's Colchester side, but also to the dismissal of manager Bryan Gunn six days later.

Big changes for his first game in charge helped City to their first win of the campaign, a 5-2 thumping of Wycombe as Lambert and assistant Ian Culverhouse imposed a new, tougher approach to the job.

“The confidence looks a lot higher than it was,” said Lambert. “We've had a couple of good days in training with them, which counts for nothing because it's matches that are important.

“I think they seem to be grasping what we want.

“I've seen a million great training players and as soon as it comes to a Saturday they go missing, so it's probably a ridiculous statement, but so far what we have asked of them they have done great in training and to be fair against Wycombe they were excellent.”

Lambert made another half dozen changes for Monday's Carling Cup game against Sunderland - and has now seen enough of his new staff to be able to decide who starts at Hartlepool today.

“I know the team that's going to start tomorrow - and hopefully that team will get a result for us,” he said.

It's perhaps still not the finished article, with Lambert having seen little of injured midfielder Matt Gill, left back Rhoys Wiggins - and striker Goran Maric, who has yet to make a senior appearance for City.

“I haven't seen much of some of the young lads to see if they are going to be up there or not, so there are still one or two things I'd like to see,” he admitted.

With more than 30 players in his squad, there's a lot to get through.

“The thing is we have 35 pros, or whatever it is, but a lot of them are young kids and you have to help them along the way,” he said.

“They need a bit of time to progress and they will fluctuate with their form. You will maybe get 10 good ones and then maybe five not so good, so they need a bit of help.”

Loans may be the answer.

“I am a great believer if you put them out to men's football they will learn quicker and their bodies will get hit harder than what they would do with their own age group, so if I think it's beneficial for them and the football club I will look at it,” he said.

Academy products Korey Smith, Luke Daley and Tom Adeyemi have all featured in Lambert's two games.

“I think they've been brilliant,” he said. “They play with no fear and have an enthusiasm for the game which is great and which you have got to have.

“They are only young and they might fluctuate with their form and that's where the young ones need a bit of help from the older ones, but at this time they have been terrific.”