"This is the first time the club has played a European tie and actually qualified or gone through, so it's another new bridge we have crossed. "We got into the Premier League a few years ago, then we got to Wembley (for the FA Cup final last season) and now we have crossed this bridge - they are three fantastic achievements in such a small space of time."- Tony Pulis. I know it's a cliche thing for us TP fans to say, but it's the truth. Really why some people are wanting TP out blows my mind. Maybe you forgot those cold, wet and windy Tuesday nights in Stockport (no offense!) or maybe you didn't support Stoke until 2008? I remember those days and do NOT want to a return. TP and Coates have done an amazing job in a short time, let them get on with it. Would you prefer to be a NUFC fan and have a new manager every year and still no success?
You make a very good point of course, and I do agree with you. But it's like the angel and devil on yer shoulder thing, the angel loves what he has done for our club and the devil just aint happy. There's still something very frustrating about TP. I can't put my finger on it, I should be happy but I want better less negative football. Can somebody explain the phenomenon that is Tony Pulis. As for PC, no complaints at all on my part.
Kick etc, that's entirely my point of view re Pulis, negative football, yes we won last night and NOBODY is happier than me this morning, believe it or not!! I absolutely loathe and despise 90% of the type of football that Pulis sets us out to play. Outside of the obvious (SAF, 'Arry, and the ilk) I can think of 10 managers (at least) who given the money that Pulis has spent (Smithers has provided the stats) would have done a better job, perhaps not top 8, but!! The diffference between us and the much quoted clubs that have languished is that OUR Chairman is one of the richest guys in the UK!! For example, how much money have Everton spent!! Anyway, I'm on a losing wicket here so will just say again - great result last night!!
Needless to say, I agree with most of that - apart from the bit about not supporting Stoke til 2008 (I know Nick has been around a lot longer than most of us on here - no offence mate!).
I know that Pulis makes us play "negative" football at the moment, but it simply works. Saying you know 8 managers that could have done a better job is simply an opinion though, which unless it actually happened (Us getting one of them as a new manager and them doing a better job) I'll have to respectively disagree. I do though wait for the day we start to play more attractive football (That is also effective, mind!) and hopefully it will be under Mr Pulis and Mr Coates.
Jose, NO offence taken mate, StokeRUFC, of course it is only my opinion, but you simply cannot ignore the fact that Pulis has spent an enormous amount of money (the usual suspects excluded) and yes attractive football that is OF COURSE effective will be nice. My problem is that I do not think that Pulis is capable of delivering that, and YES I would be ecstatic to be proven wrong.
I think we all have the same problem with TP - love him for where we are and what he's done for us but frustrated at the fact we have the same show every time, hoofball tactics boring football etc. But it has been getting better, and granted when we sold Tuncay all of us though that that was it and we weren't going to improve but we've had our first FA cup final ever and we're two games away from group stages of Europe - let's just see where he takes us. TP said 3 years to solidify our status in the Premiership and then we'd see a change, let's let him make that change. The plan has always been three years, that time is this season. Let's give him that chance.
I totally agree with everyone who says we play unattractive football (most of the time), but my point was how many managers could have done what he has at Stoke. The most talented and sought after managers wouldn't have come to Stoke in the first place. I wasn't pointing any fingers at anyone specifically when I said did people start supporting in 2008, it's just hard to understand people who are not happy with our position now. What I would like to see in the Stoke team from now is more positive tactics and better players, but that won't happen overnight. Even now we are finding it hard to attract so-called flair players (we only have 2!) and what happened to Tuncay (my favourite signing at the time) probably scares off a lot of players. Lets hope for a good run in Europe into the Group stages hopefully at least, and maybe next season or January we can attract some better players then maybe we'll improve our style. FC Thun is a good draw for us, all our preseasons in Austria will have prepared us well I reckon, hopefully on to the Group stages!
We still have 26 days left, let's see who we attract? Our only signing to date i thought played very, very well last night, especially for a past it knackered has been freebie.
You don't mean Roberto Huth perchance!! Look all I have ever said about Woodgate is and I quote myself, when he is fit he was/is on of the best footballing CB's in the world. Just one other point about decent Manager's coming to Stoke, dangle a £50 million transfer budget at them and just watch the queue form, probably let by Martin O'Neill, I always thought that the Martin would have good with us - Jol!! Hey ho
Jeezus Huthy that is a frightening thought, that meanes that I will have to wait until I amn hang on where's my calculator, OH NO, according to your prophecy, I will be 95 years old till he goes, can't wait
DON'T get me started on the T.P. saga again lads. Nick, I did say last week and I NO WAY want T.P. too leave or otherwise. I DO NOT like/enjoy the way he sets out the team but...... Let's be fair here. LAST night we didn't need to score if Hadjuk didn't. Might have been as boring as hell, that is the oppinion of a good mate who was THERE last night. So, they are his words not mine. Mr Pulis I say, WELL done we did what we had to do. In fact we won it one nil. I WILL give Tony until the end of August to buy player's. Always said I would. BUT if he does not, I won't be happy at all. Give the guy a chance and, like you Nick. i WILL GLADLY eat bucket fulls of humble pie. Well done to the team, Mr P and ALL those Stoke fans who travelled
Nick you are the only one who knows who i really am! For some reason this transfer window has got me excited with the QUALITY of players that we are after. If these so called rumours are not true, & we sign Jerome & Cole as first teamers, without any ****ing centre mids with QUALITY coming in, then i will really flip good style.
Hi all - Cant dispute all the positives on here about TP! He got the result and when we get results I dont think we can moan, when he doesn't get results - thats different. For me, Its a live by the sword, die by the sword scenario! Setting out negative or making negative subs to sneek a result will eventually catch you out especially when you dont have an alternative - which we all know is the problem. I for one am estactic that we are through, but at this stage of the comp its still abit micky mouse and we all know that the prem is the primary target! As stated, the 3 year plan is now over (not that I have ever believed in it anyway) and its time to be judged on his abilty which is based purley on results. So lets see what his transfer targets are and what results we get by the end of October and judge the hero/villian then! If we have good points on the board then we can debate over our opinions in relation to quality and style and if we dont have the points, well then we can just argue! By the way Nick, I agree that a number of managers would ahve taken the job at stoke if they new the money was there and I think we would have been no worse of with another manager! Whether we would have been any better - well who know!
Yep can't argue with you guys on this front. By the end of August we definitely need to see a fresh infusion of 4/5 decent players into the squad; I really believe this is going to happen. You only had to check out the strength of the bench again last night (just like the Cup Final). I also reckon that our start in the EPL this season is even tougher than last and I thought that was tough enough! Regarding potential signings, not interested in Cole or Jerome OR Scotty (how does my hair look today darling?) Parker. KTF and UTP!!!
Well TP is obviously not flavour of the month as he has brought no flair players in at present. I have said previously that TP will only bring in players this month. Look at last year, 31st August Pennant and Walters signed in addition to Eidurjoh???? In my opinion I was concerned that Pennant was going to be a loose cannon. However I thought he gave us another dimension and contributed to us playing GOOD, ATTRACTIVE football. Walters was a revelation after a slow start. Everbody was excited about KJ who I think still has plenty to do to justfiy the fee paid. Yes I agree that I have my frustrations with TP BUT he has achieved so much for the club. Try and enjoy it. Yes it is not pretty some of the time. Yes some of the time is is too negative. Yes I thought the substitutions on Thursday were amazing. TP has saved us from going down to the 3rd tier in his first season back. Another two years we are in the Premier league. We reach the FA Cup final which BTW I thought I would never see in my lifetime. (Another monkey off the back). We win through a round in Europe and let us be grateful. Stoke do play good, flowing football in some of the games where they believe they can win. On occasions TP is to defensive or negative but please give him some breathing space until 31st August! All the Best Cris
Peter Coates with his investment made the difference, prior to the injection of money we were going nowhere, that period also covers TP's first reign from 02, finishes were 21st, 11th, 12th, on returning with money to spend in 06 finishes were 8th, 2nd. Would TP have got us promoted without money? not likely. Could another manager have done it with money, likely. However TP did do it, therefore deserves the credit, but to those that think he's the only one that could have and he's the messiah you're wrong, therefore back him when he gets it right and dissaprove when he gets it wrong.
Welsh I have just read the suggestion that you think I may have only supported since 2008? Incorrect since 1962/1963 season. So possibly similar number of years to you. And yes I have seen wonderful football played in the 70's with Tony Waddington. All I say is that I think this team is still evolving. At least I hope it is! Rant over!
