Tony Pulis

[gkmacca]

I really don't mind managers who are basically specialists in relegation fights. They show a good logical method, making the most of lesser talents and simple but effective tactics. It's just when they demand respect beyond that, as great footballing stylists who simply play a different game to other managers. Because that's simply wrong. They are fundamentally limited, unimaginative, negative and endlessly repetitive, which is why their teams always end up disintegrating after a while. The implication is always: well, if a big club gave me a chance and handed me masses of money, you'd see how stylish my teams could be. But that wouldn't happen. If they DID get a chance, they'd be lost unless they dragged the players down to their level. They ought to be humble, grateful they're earning a fortune for basically peddling a brand of anti-football, and ignore the occasions when other managers get pissed off with them for their one-dimensional lack of adventure. But, no, they're always full of self-righteous indignation, always insisting they're being insulted and maligned by people who are luckier than they are, and always generally pissed off at how cruel the world is to poor under-appreciated masters like them. They're full of shit, and deserve all the flak they get, and a damn sight more.

 

[Judge Jules]

Exactly.
I'm sure 60% of premier league footballers don't give a shit what the poppy even represents.
The idea should be scrapped from football.
A minutes silence would be a far better show of respect.

Sorry, not buying that. It isn't the fact that McClean doesn't wear a poppy that's grating. It's the fact that in his case it's a self-declared anti-English gesture, when the chiselling cnut makes his living over here.

 

[cloggypop]

The only thing I never liked about Klopp was his monster truck hat. It's probably the best thing about Pulis.

 

[Woland]

I really don't mind managers who are basically specialists in relegation fights. They show a good logical method, making the most of lesser talents and simple but effective tactics. It's just when they demand respect beyond that, as great footballing stylists who simply play a different game to other managers. Because that's simply wrong. They are fundamentally limited, unimaginative, negative and endlessly repetitive, which is why their teams always end up disintegrating after a while. They ought to be humble, grateful they're earning a fortune for basically peddling a brand of anti-football, and ignore the occasions when other managers get pissed off with them for their one-dimensional lack of adventure. But, no, they're always full of self-righteous indignation, always insisting they're being insulted and maligned by people who are luckier than they are, and always generally pissed off at how cruel the world is to poor under-appreciated masters like them. They're full of shit, and deserve all the flak they get, and a damn sight more.

Thought I was in the Mourinho thread for a minute.

 

[Judge Jules]

The only thing I never liked about Klopp was his monster truck hat. It's probably the best thing about Pulis.

Not much struck on Klopp's glasses TBH. They remind me of something Dame Edna might wear.

 

[jexykrodic]

It pleases me that these people take the English Pound as it means everything else they do or say is meaningless and hypocritical.

 

[Rosco]

Maybe he should ask himself why Klopp got the Liverpool job and he wasn't even an option as far as we know.

The answer is that Klopp is a much better manager. Pulis is a good manager but his teams can only play one way. He don't have a backup plan if his long ball tactics don't work. There is a reason to why Berahino isn't playing. Pulis don't have a clue how to get the best out of player that isn't all about long balls.

Has Klopp ever had his teams play differently?

 

[Leo]

Sorry, not buying that. It isn't the fact that McClean doesn't wear a poppy that's grating. It's the fact that in his case it's a self-declared anti-English gesture, when the chiselling cnut makes his living over here.

Money should have nothing to do with it either.
His home town and family were massively affected by the troubles so he has a right to hate the regime that caused it.
Wouldn't he be still collecting the 'queens' sterling if was living in Derry anyways.
So it's a moot point.

 

[jexykrodic]

Has Klopp ever had his teams play differently?

During his time at Liverpool, yes. Think vs Spurs or vs Citeh or vs Sion. Watch the formations and tactics and take into account the players available and the circumstances of the match/competition.

 

[Judge Jules]

Leo, let's agree to differ. Leaving aside the question whether his feelings are justified (a debate which doesn't belong on a football forum, if there's any point in it at all), if he has those feelings he should either find somewhere else to work or at least refrain from spitting on the hand that pays him.

 

[Jack D Rips]

I don't mind Pulis to be honest, I think there are a lot worse than him, I think he's a knobhead .

Having seen his presser I've reviewed my opinion.

 

[davud graham]

So it was a gang ? I knew he had quite a few arselicking types in the PL as managers and actually the incident regarding Preston was picked up on. But did not know the arselicking went to that length. Perhaps he decided to retire as the number of foreign managers increased, and realized the game was coming to an end for him.

There was the incident with Rafa and Alllardyce when Fat Sam realised he was upset about something a week after it had happened which innocently coincided with Fergie mentioning the exact same thing in his press conference the same day without any prompting from the media. It was so obviously pre planned between the two of them and almost comical in their attempts to slag Rafa off for the sake of it.
Fergie was always loaning out players (or selling them off on the cheap) to Moyes, Steve Bruce and Pulis and their teams almost never beat Utd or even got a point against them. Maybe not deliberate collusion but it was obviously in their clubs interests to keep on fergies good side.

 

[peekay]

I don't get the fuss associated with managers not shaking hands at the end of the game. If they are pissed off at each other, don't shake hands. Why make it a big issue?

 

[rurikbird]

I don't get the fuss associated with managers not shaking hands at the end of the game. If they are pissed off at each other, don't shake hands. Why make it a big issue?

Because people are shallow and it's much easier to focus on a small meaningless gesture than on the actual meaning behind it. Kind of like people here in the US get can talk endlessly about the "N word" and who is allowed to say it, but tune out of any substantive conversation about racism.

 

[rurikbird]

I really don't mind managers who are basically specialists in relegation fights. They show a good logical method, making the most of lesser talents and simple but effective tactics. It's just when they demand respect beyond that, as great footballing stylists who simply play a different game to other managers. Because that's simply wrong. They are fundamentally limited, unimaginative, negative and endlessly repetitive, which is why their teams always end up disintegrating after a while. The implication is always: well, if a big club gave me a chance and handed me masses of money, you'd see how stylish my teams could be. But that wouldn't happen. If they DID get a chance, they'd be lost unless they dragged the players down to their level. They ought to be humble, grateful they're earning a fortune for basically peddling a brand of anti-football, and ignore the occasions when other managers get pissed off with them for their one-dimensional lack of adventure. But, no, they're always full of self-righteous indignation, always insisting they're being insulted and maligned by people who are luckier than they are, and always generally pissed off at how cruel the world is to poor under-appreciated masters like them. They're full of shit, and deserve all the flak they get, and a damn sight more.

Thought I was in the Mourinho thread for a minute.

Haha, brilliant!

 

[Buddha]

I really don't mind managers who are basically specialists in relegation fights. They show a good logical method, making the most of lesser talents and simple but effective tactics. It's just when they demand respect beyond that, as great footballing stylists who simply play a different game to other managers. Because that's simply wrong. They are fundamentally limited, unimaginative, negative and endlessly repetitive, which is why their teams always end up disintegrating after a while. The implication is always: well, if a big club gave me a chance and handed me masses of money, you'd see how stylish my teams could be. But that wouldn't happen. If they DID get a chance, they'd be lost unless they dragged the players down to their level. They ought to be humble, grateful they're earning a fortune for basically peddling a brand of anti-football, and ignore the occasions when other managers get pissed off with them for their one-dimensional lack of adventure. But, no, they're always full of self-righteous indignation, always insisting they're being insulted and maligned by people who are luckier than they are, and always generally pissed off at how cruel the world is to poor under-appreciated masters like them. They're full of shit, and deserve all the flak they get, and a damn sight more.

nailed it.

 

[Holle]

Give a fuck.

Fuck Pulis.

 

[peekay]

Because people are shallow and it's much easier to focus on a small meaningless gesture than on the actual meaning behind it. Kind of like people here in the US get can talk endlessly about the "N word" and who is allowed to say it, but tune out of any substantive conversation about racism.

The only minor problem I see is that the media agenda has been set. Even if we defeat Pulis's side 10 times in the next 10 encounters with 3 goals and higher, the overall impression would be Pulis outclassed Klopp. Same with Allardyce and Rafa. Allardyce is portrayed as some kind of genius who always defeated Rafa's Liverpool. I think the first time they met, the result was a draw and maybe we lost the second time when Reina handled the ball outside of the penalty box. But after that I remember is continuously and comfortably defeating Allardyce teams. In fact I remember a performance against Newcastle where we humiliated them with the fans angrily shouting at him. But the impression remains.

 

[peekay]

I really don't mind managers who are basically specialists in relegation fights. They show a good logical method, making the most of lesser talents and simple but effective tactics. It's just when they demand respect beyond that, as great footballing stylists who simply play a different game to other managers. Because that's simply wrong. They are fundamentally limited, unimaginative, negative and endlessly repetitive, which is why their teams always end up disintegrating after a while. The implication is always: well, if a big club gave me a chance and handed me masses of money, you'd see how stylish my teams could be. But that wouldn't happen. If they DID get a chance, they'd be lost unless they dragged the players down to their level. They ought to be humble, grateful they're earning a fortune for basically peddling a brand of anti-football, and ignore the occasions when other managers get pissed off with them for their one-dimensional lack of adventure. But, no, they're always full of self-righteous indignation, always insisting they're being insulted and maligned by people who are luckier than they are, and always generally pissed off at how cruel the world is to poor under-appreciated masters like them. They're full of shit, and deserve all the flak they get, and a damn sight more.

"I'm not suited to Bolton or Blackburn, I would be more suited to Internazionale or Real Madrid," said Allardyce. "It wouldn't be a problem to me to go and manage those clubs because I would win the Double or the league every time.

"Give me Manchester United or Chelsea and I would do the same, it wouldn't be a problem. It's not where I'm suited to, it's just where I've been for most of the time. It's not a problem to take me into the higher reaches of the Champions League or Premier League and would make my job a lot easier in winning it."

 

[redhorizon2]

Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault within 24 hours. Blimey.

Redhorizon2 will be channelling Jean-Francois Lyotard for a description of Lucas's future role next.

He will score three goals and have two assists in what ever game we play next. We will beat them 10-0 in the first half and in the second half the opposition will be far more defensive learning from their mistakes, but I'm confident that we will sneak another 5 goals past them.

 

[Hansern]

It would be great if that was true, 'cos then I'd be able to easily avoid it.

I'll never understand this attitude of "it's trivial bullshit and no one cares, but I will still make a thread about it".

If we couldnt start threads about trivial bullshit then the forum would be pretty empty...

 

[Mamma Mia]

If we couldnt start threads about trivial bullshit then the forum would be pretty empty...

Sure, but it seems silly to suggest that only the English press cares. They write these stories because people lap it up.

 

[Hansern]

Sure, but it seems silly to suggest that only the English press cares. They write these stories because people lap it up.

Yeah, I agree. I was thinking more of our own fans tbh.

 

[manwithnoname]

In this context I'm sure Pulis will have West Brom fired up before the next game against us.

I'm not really sure what you're talking about now, I was just pointing out that Paisley's pre-match flattering 'give them some toffee' was exactly that: pre-match chatter about a team - or more usually a specific player (cf Gordon Strachan) - designed to flatter and hopefully induce a sense of complacency in the forthcoming game

 

[gkmacca]

It's like Jeffrey Archer going around sneering at anyone who gets critically acclaimed for their prose style. Or the writers of On the Buses complaining because the show never makes the list of best sitcoms.

 

[Aidan O' Neill]

Sorry, not buying that. It isn't the fact that McClean doesn't wear a poppy that's grating. It's the fact that in his case it's a self-declared anti-English gesture, when the chiselling cnut makes his living over here.

That's a fucking bullshit argument. It's an anti British army stance he's taking which he's entitled to take given where he's from and what happened there in the past. Him living in England has nothing to do with it.

 

[Woland]

What is achieved by forcing people to wear a symbol? Surely forcing people only weakens its purpose?

 

[cloggypop]

Yeah. It's pure bullying. Let people do what they choose to do.

We'll be turning away refugees for not wearing one next.

 

[gkmacca]

When states stop forcing people to be democratic, civic-minded, active and/or responsible, they'll have to start investing in the education of the population and the removal of any barriers to upward mobility. It's crazy talk.

 

[Insignificance]

I dont mind other team having other styles. The thing I hate is that Pulis doesnt trust his own style enough that he wants to play the game. Again Against his team every set piece, throw in or goal kick takes about a minutt plus before the ball is back in action. Keep the ball in fucking play and let the styles and tactics work against each other... thats fine. But inviting 45000 people to see one team not interested in keeping the ball in play is daft. And this is Pulis in a nutshell. Fucking bastard.