http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11701_6773461,00.html? Tony Pulis is planning to make 'lots of changes' at Stoke City in the summer if the club secure their Premier League status. Stoke have made gradual progress since returning to the top flight in 2008 and could claim a top-10 finish this season. Pulis' initial three-year plan for the club reaches its conclusion at the end of the current campaign and the Potters boss is keen to continue building at the Britannia Stadium. He is aware that Stoke will never be in a position to compete with the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool in the transfer market, but hopes the club can strive to reach the next level. Careful "If we stay up this year there will be lots of changes," said Pulis ahead of Wednesday's trip to title chasing Arsenal. "They won't be massive, but certainly changes within the club and the group which will enable to push on again. "It's not a case of shaking it up, it's about being solid enough so if things did go a bit wobbly, we would be able to maintain the progress and stability we've built over the previous three years. "If you look at the money that is spent at the top end of the table you have to be very careful how you go about things, and you have to do it over a period of time. "We can't go out and do what Kenny (Dalglish) has done at Liverpool and spend ã60-70million on two players, and we can't do what Chelsea have done and spend ã90million on two players. "So we have to do it a different way, which is over a period of time, instead of instantly."
I took it to mean some deadwood will be shafted off, i.e. Fuller and as much as I wouldn't want him to leave, Whelan.
Really sgt You don't believe Fuller is a massive change (in Stoke City terms). I would say that line tells us that there will be very little changes in playing roster or style but the beginnings of backroom restructuring. I do hope they improve on their scouting team, and when I say improve I really mean get one started. because after 3 years in the prem it has really shown how poorly we do in the transfer market except one or two reasonable purchases.
I think TP is looking like he's learning in the transfer market, albeit slowly. Look at our first couple of buys, Davies, Soares, Kitson... Now we're bringing in less dead wood, and more players who are potentially going to make a difference. I'd like to see them in the first team a bit more, but I think there are signs of progress.
That's definitely true, mind you he's told his player to "go for it" tonight so maybe it'll only be 9 at the back.
Pulis doesn't drive his own buses, he uses a shift system of migrant workers from Germany, Bosnia and em... Cheshire
