Stoke City: Pulis backs winger Pennant
STOKE City manager Tony Pulis has given Jermaine Pennant a vote of confidence ahead of the winger's forthcoming court case.
Pennant is due before magistrates in Greater Manchester on Wednesday, May 9, after being charged with various motoring offences.
The 29-year-old Stoke star was also arrested over an alleged assault of a woman in a Manchester nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The winger has been bailed pending further inquiries into that incident.
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Pulis, speaking for the first time about Pennant's court case, would only say of his future: "He's got another year left on his contract."
He added: "It's unfortunate he's due to appear in court and we've got to deal with it. We have to take the approach that we will look after him."
However, Pulis admitted he could not make a judgment himself until all the facts came out in court.
"I'm in the dark about what did or did not happen," he explained. "I haven't spoken to anybody up there (in Manchester) about what it is or isn't.
"He's got a court case on May 9. We will see the situation when he gets to court.
"Come and see me after that and I will talk about it quite openly then."
Pennant was charged with drink driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance after his white BMW was involved in a crash with a silver Audi near his luxury home in Altrincham at 5.20am on Sunday morning – some two hours after the alleged nightclub assault.
The Audi driver needed hospital treatment for a minor injury following the collision.
Pulis spoke with Pennant when he returned to the club for light training on Monday, but the winger missed Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Everton because of a hamstring injury.
Pulis has insisted that Pennant could yet prove his fitness and play for Stoke at QPR on Sunday.
The club must now await the outcome of Pennant's appearance at Trafford Magistrates next Wednesday before deciding their next move over his long-term future at the club.
A conviction and prison sentence could leave Stoke taking legal advice on the possibility of terminating his contract.
The winger said last month that he would love to stay at Stoke for next season, and also take up the option in his contract for a further one-year deal.
Stoke fans were puzzled earlier this season when Pennant was continually left out of Pulis's starting eleven.
Allegations then surfaced that he had gone AWOL before a Premier League game at Everton in December and an FA Cup tie at Crawley in February.
Pennant vigorously denied the allegations, insisting he had a family matter to deal with before the Everton game, while he didn't travel to Crawley after being omitted from the squad.
Martin Smith column: Page 51
Comments
by Davejjohnson
Friday, May 04 2012, 6:56PM
“Spot on Nooneshome. You can forgive a lack of talent in a player that tries his best but there is nothing worse than a waster. If Pennant wants to leave Stoke I would be happy to give him a lift and drop him anywhere in the country.”
by NOONESHOME
Friday, May 04 2012, 6:24PM
“The sooner Pulis dumps Pennant the better,He just needs a guilty verdict to have the ammunition to be able to terminate his contract.Pennant has been trouble for all his clubs, That is why Arsenal threw him out.That said i believe he is still the best crosser of a casey in the premiership bar none, and second only to the best crosser of them all,Mr Beckham,Even though i believe this, i still think he is more trouble than he is worth,as most of the time he does not turn up,Obviously because he has been out on the razzle till god knows what time in the morning. What a waste of a god given talent.”
by soccerfoot11
Friday, May 04 2012, 6:17PM
“Nothing in the annals of human dialogue has anything more ignorant ever been written !! EVER ! typical johnson, never fails to to be oh so predictable !!
How dare he say that about a Stoke City player!”
by Davejjohnson
Friday, May 04 2012, 6:09PM
“Nothing sad about a worthless idiot not being seen in a Stoke shirt again. I say send him to live in America like we do with our sub normal supporters.”
by soccerfoot11
Friday, May 04 2012, 2:31PM
“seths, well put, and that is the sad part of it !!”
by seths
Friday, May 04 2012, 9:56AM
“Whatever the outcome of the cases, I will be very surprised if we see Mr Pennant in a Stoke shirt next season.”
by JTFLINT2009
Friday, May 04 2012, 9:44AM
“I've just realised the Boothen end may have a new chant soon: "We're Stoke City, we'll drive how we want!" I wouldn't put it past them anyway!
I get what Jayenee was saying, that it's not like a murder charge for example where a larger collection of facts are required. With the drink driving part, if he crashes and is breathalysed straight after then the evidence is already against him as you'd be mad to try and argue your way around that. As for the physical abuse charge, well that's a bit murky and I agree that for now it's wise that TP and the club have kept relatively quiet on the affair. Despite my earlier post, I'm 50-50 whether he'll play again or not. He may start so TP can say "we're sticking with out man" ala John Terry with Chelsea, or he may claim that Pennant has an injury for the remaining two games.”
by Davejjohnson
Friday, May 04 2012, 8:00AM
“Soccerfoot, as DJ say's you are pathetic. I post a comment related to the story which is what you keep saying we should do and then you can't resist kicking off. We live in and around Stoke so we see the players outside of just when they are playing. Pennant has been spotted skidding around a car park and tearing down the M6, it's a fact. I used to see Simmo in his jag with his numberplate "SIMMO" and regularly used to see Danny Pugh in his Porsche with his plate that said "PUGH". I've met and talked football for an hour with Dennis Smith when we were both buying fitted kitchens. Mark Stein was regularly seen by all and sundry in a bookies in Stoke. Footballers don't magically appear on the pitch on a Saturday, they exist in and around the city all the time. Why is this so hard to believe. Deadly has previously stated seeing Pennant on the sauce in the early hours of the morning when he is out playing Poker. It's clear from your last two posts that it's you who regularly kicks off the verbal sparing on this site.”
by DJ_Stoke
Friday, May 04 2012, 1:43AM
“Give it a rest Soccerfoot eh? Always have to kick off don't you, it's very childish mate honestly...Pathetic really, especially at your age...”
by Mike173765
Thursday, May 03 2012, 10:37PM
“Maybe we could sell him to Port Vale? They're desperate and obviously don't know how to manage their cash so we could scam a fortune”