How many people would like to see Tony Pulis leave Stoke?. Answer yes or no please. My answer is yes. I know he wont go but I just want to get an idea on how people are feeling about him.
Yes as he is tactically devoid of ideas, has wasted millions of the Coates family money, can't handle flair players and is too negative, does not know how to win away, has utter contempt for the Stoke faithful, is vindictive and stubborn towards any player that is not on his favourites list, is beaten before most games we play........ do you really want me to go on? I'll leave it to Pistol now to tell us how he turns water into wine!
To be hones I`d sooner Higgy did re-sign rather than Woodgate and Mama. There`s not a `cat in hells chance `of TP leaving, but a move upstairs with no involvement in team selection,or peoples contract negotiations would be a satisfactory result!
No water to wine tales from me Waddo, I'm not overflowing with joy about our new (re)signings either, but (I know I'm going aco a few years with some of these here) I was happy with the signings of Etherington, Pennant, Shawcross, Huth, Crouch, and I think that shows he is not as inept as you all make out. I've said before, stubborn and negative- yes, but stupid- I think not. As for "should he stay or should he go", he's still here now, so it looks like we've got him for another season, which is ok IMO, as I doubt we will be relegation candidates, but if there are no new fullbacks, no improvement on how we play in midfield (I don't think we need to improve the players vastly, the 2 Wilsons should be good enough) then I think he is moving ever closer to the door.
I agree with PP that if we got 2 full backs and played the 2 Wilsons in the midfield, 2 wingers (every game for 90 mins) and stuck Crouch and Jerome upfront we ould be ok. However like the rest have said, Huth is looking like an issue, I cant see TP buying 2 full backs because he doesnt want one (he wants a flat bank of a back four which he can do with makeshift players) he wont play our best midfield, he wont play two wingers and he will play Walters 90 mins every game! I think that points towards being stupid not stubborn, because he obviously believes what he is doing is right! As Albert Einstein said: "We can not solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them" "Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex....it takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction" I think they all sum up the situation we currently face!
Do we know this definitively? Pulis does prefer a more centrally minded defence rather than "proper" fullbacks, but still, (I think he'd struggle now) but Higgy did a good job of getting down the wings, as did Shotton for the few weeks he played well. I think it's more an issue of struggling to land players we've been after, I don't think M Wilson was bought as LB (he played a few games at CM, and even LM before he became our makeshift fullback). But we shall see this season, as I've said, I think we've had the intent on improving but not been as successful at signing players as we'd like, and I think that's why TP is still here.
Tp just has no tactical knowhow or knowledge of players best positions, can anyone remember TP changing things up through his own choice?, rather than being forced into a decision by injury etc. Our club is getting a terrible reputation and with us going backwards (performance wise) I can only see more hatred towards our club. If I wasnt a Stoke fan I would hate our club too (if that makes any sense), TP sets out to completely wreck every game of football by telling the players to grab, hold and generally smash the ball as far as possible, as for how much time we waste on throwins, which really annoys me as I pay money to watch football and not someone repeatadly rubbing a ball on his jumper waiting for all of the defense to lumber up into the box. I think that every throwin wates about 2 minutes of the game and we must get atleast 5 a match. Im going to say something now that not many people will agree with and say that I would rather us try to play football and MAYBE get relegated rather than another season of the one we have just had, because nearly every game I went to see (about 14 in total) felt like a complete waste of money.
Ric , Until we try to play football we can't develop. We spend all our time trying to stop the opposition from playing rather than playing ourselves.
Well if he doesn't know what is he doing managing the team. If he can't get the players to sign, what is he doing managing the team. Letter to the management Dear Miss,
I think PP has a point in that if we cant land the right players we cant play a more balanced team. In support of the other side of the argument, I cant remember him being linked with a full back (except for Kelly who we didnt play and let go to Fulham?) and when everyone of our players are fit and available, he very rarely picks the right team.
His record of never being relegated in 20 years of professional football management says otherwise - He just has an unusual style and is very stubborn but it obviously works Our club has had a terrible reputation for many years and this never bothered us before, in fact it helped bring club and fans together. I think many of us would - I hated Wimbledon but Stoke is my club so I'll back them to the hilt even when I really think they are wrong. End Of. It's a weapon - or at least it used to be - Do you also have the same issue with corners? I think this is the crux of the matter and is the only thing that should divide us - I have the opposite view which is why I will back TP until he fails, by which I mean we are relegated - no amount of brainwashing from other teams or disgruntled fans will convince me we need to play a certain style, IMO we play how TP wants because he keeps us in a division artifically above our fighting weight. Until we are relegated or he leaves/is pushed I shall stand by him. At this point I shall then transfer the same allegiance to whoever PC brings in.
ricc, I hate to keep agreeing with you, but when I read the above that`s how I feel-- BUT!! when steve scfc gave his response ,I could also agree with his points of view---- good debate lads, and, paradoxically ( being a `fence-sitter`) without adding anything new to the discussion you both sum up my mixed emotions regarding our beloved SCFC!!!
I agree with Ric, but after Steve put his points forward it made me rethink a little. I suppose it comes down to whether or not you can by in TP or not?
Seen as I was unable to log in for a while here's my twopenneth. Steve you talk a lot of sense, make some good points. I'm the same as all on here, love the club, everyone seem's to hate us so what? If I had my wish I would rid the club of TP. NOW! BUT we all know he's staying, for a while at least so I HOPE for some decent signings in the Summer. I've got to the point where it does'nt really matter what we say or do. I support STOKE not TONY PULIS so let's see what happens.
