I know it's from the News of the World. Please don't judge me, I got it off someone off Twitter. Good interview. http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/notw/sport/football/748952/PULIS-CHELSEA-ARE-NOT-A-SOCIAL-CLUB.html HIGH up in the stands at the Britannia Stadium Tony Pulis is slurping green tea, washing it down with tales of Napoleon and Alexander the Great. Stoke City's manager is an expert in combat, combining strategy with a ruthless streak that has taken Stoke City to an FA Cup quarter-final for the first time since 1972. At home he reads books on military history, obsessing over the great leaders. At work, he's full on and fired up. "I get embarrassed when I see myself on the television after a game," he admitted. "I get stressed, I get angry and I'm murder when we've lost. I get annoyed when people earning a hell of a lot of money are not fulfilling their potential. "Once we played Wolves and Ricardo Fuller, the most laid back person on the planet, asked to be on the bench. "I was so angry with him, but he scored twice and then came up to me after the game. 'Gaffer, chill out - you're gonna kill yourself you get so stressed'. God I wish I was like him." Pulis is a familiar touchline figure, arms working over-time and screaming instructions to his players for 90 mental minutes. People don't always like his - or Stoke's - style, a hostile approach that's been rubbing managers and players up the wrong way for the best part of 20 years. "It's a terrible thing to say, but I don't care what people think about me. You're weak if you take notice. They don't know me, my wife or my family." He recognises the privileges that come with the millionaire lifestyle, the money that drives Premier League players to the brink of destruction. A working class background equipped Pulis with the tools for the job, a solid start in life that remains a source of motivation now that he manages a top class Premier League team. "We're cocooned in this job and the players don't see the outside world anymore," added Pulis. "They take their health for granted, their fitness for granted and yet they could go to the Donna Louis Trust (Stoke's charity partner) where they can't afford to stay open for seven days because they don't have the funding." It's raw passion for Pulis, there is no other way after a career "turning lights on first thing and turning them off last thing at night" during spells with Gillingham, Bristol Rovers and Plymouth. He recognises that this is his chance, seizing the moment with Stoke and constantly reminding his players of their social responsibilities. "The trouble is we live in an instant society. "Players push a button on a remote to watch TV and if they don't like the channel they push another button. They don't even have to move, other than flick their finger. We have moved away from reality. "The Premier League is Hollywood and the players are the movie stars. They have wealth and with that comes with responsibility. "It's Chelsea Football Club, not Chelsea Social Club and John Terry and Ashley Cole have to understand that." They will meet at Stamford Bridge this afternoon, a clash of cultures in an FA Cup tie Stoke City are convinced they can win. Privileged Pulis is still moulding his players, halfway through a three-year plan drawn up with his ultra-supportive chairman Peter Coates designed to turn the Potters into an established Premier League club. "When I was Bournemouth manager we never took players we wanted to sign to Dean Court because it was falling down - I took them to the beach instead to show them the views. "It's different here. Above everything I realise how privileged I am to be in charge of this football team. "The game has to come first and I've had a lot of times where I've had to move players away from that. Some players, like Ryan Shawcross, are soundly settled with young babes, and then you've got Ricardo Fuller - he lives on a different planet. "The players run the fines system, anything from discipline to being late, and Ric's charity in Jamaica gets a lot of money - most of it paid by Ric." Pulis is an emotional character, forthright in his views but quick to protect his players. Last week he came out fighting, memorably telling Arsene Wenger he "wouldn't give a tuppence for his thoughts" after the Arsenal manager claimed Aaron Ramsey's injury was "no coincidence". "I can understand Wenger, he was emotional, but we are perceived as the team who roughed up Arsenal. "After he made those remarks we looked at the stats. We have played Arsenal three times this season and we haven't had a player booked. "The week before that Wenger had said we were the most improved team in the Premier League, not just a back to front side." Pulis is refining his team, making subtle changes as this proud, traditional English club continues to evolve. He is upset when managers take the easy option, hinting at Rory Delap hurling the ball into the penalty area as the major reason for their continued success. "The one I got really upset about was Manchester City because we played them three times in the 10 days," Pulis said. "Roberto Mancini looks the part with his hair all in place and his scarf knotted, but I'm not so sure. "We went up there, where they have one of the biggest pitches in the Premier League, played our football and deserved more than a draw. "Then we got them at the Britannia and beat them. Then the comments start coming out. "Apparently the ball was in the air all the time, this and that, but we're not kick and rush. "You can't tell me Tuncay, Fuller and Matthew Etherington want to play football in the air." Instead they play with the ball at their feet, a blend of style and substance that has taken Stoke into mid-table. They have combined it with a magnificent Cup run, beating Arsenal and Manchester City on the way to a sixth round meeting with Chelsea. His team is developing a style that will go much further than one of Delap's long throw-ins. Genuine Shawcross is the jewel in the crown, the first Stoke player to be called into the England squad since Mark Chamberlain in 1984. Pulis marked him out as a future England international when he was in Manchester United's third team, spotting a talented defender who could make an instant impact at the Britannia Stadium. "He's a great lad, he's not vindictive at all. "He's been in touch with Ramsey and we're in touch with Arsenal. What you saw on the field last weekend when he was crying was genuine, that's his character. "The kit lady Winnie - she runs this place, not me - told me after the game that his mum and sister were all in the dressing room crying their eyes out over Ramsey. "He's a good kiddie. Last weekend Sir Alex Ferguson came on the phone straight after the League Cup final asking for his number. "He just wanted to reassure him. For a manager who has just won a major trophy to do that is real class, real quality." Yesterday Shawcross was in his manager's office, called in for a private chat with Pulis after a turbulent week. Those are paternal instincts, checking Shawcross's emotional state of mind and talking it through to make sure that the defender has not been affected by his country's call. Now that's leadership.
Cheers Sgt A great read I haven't seen it before and it's NO WONDER Ric is such a "cool dude" I love Ric he's different class on his day but he can frustrate the hell out of all of us. LEGEND!
He frustrates and annoys me a lot, as you have all noticed over the past few years!!! He is a stereotypical West Indian is Fuller, he's so laid back. He's mates with Usain Bolt, and he said that Bolt was more laid back than he was!! I didn't know that was possible.
We all know you're not a Fuller fan, Sarge Great interview, thanks for posting. Loving Tony's interviews, as in-depth and insightful as this one
