Southampton striker Rickie Lambert has praised new manager Mauricio Pochettino, insisting that he will take the club in the right direction.

Pochettino replaced Nigel Adkins as the Saints boss and Lambert has described the club as "exciting" following the appointment.

Lambert, who has impressed in the Premier League this season, believes that the club's ambition could see them challenging for the top four in the next three years.

"The new manager has been great and you can see since he has come to the club he wants to make things happen," the 30-year-old told The Sun.

"The chairman is very ambitious and Southampton is going to be a very exciting place to be over the next few years.

"It is not unrealistic to try and challenge for the top four over the next three years. That is what we have to aim for. Three years ago a lot of people would have laughed in our faces if we had said we'd be in the Premier League."

Lambert joined Southampton from Bristol Rovers in 2009.