by Martin Spinks

STOKE City have hired a new weapon in their long-term aim for Premier League survival – a sports psychologist.

Their new recruit has already introduced himself to the Stoke squad in one-to-one sessions at the club's training ground.

Now they have the option to request further audiences to discuss any professional or private matters potentially affective their performance.

Jamil Qureshi, an Essex-based performance coach specialising in psychology, has already established a reputation in sport after working successfully with Europe's winning Ryder Cup team of 2006.

Qureshi, the self-styled Mind Coach, will be at Stoke's training ground on a specified number of days each month.

He also worked with Bolton last season and has just received an invitation from Nottingham Forest for his servies, while his website says he is a regular on daytime television's Trisha talkshow.

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