Tony Pulis: Too many referees have preconceptions about Stoke City's style
STOKE boss Tony Pulis has delivered a few home truths to referees' chief Mike Riley in his on-going battle to win justice for his players.
Pulis says last week's 0-0 draw at Aston Villa provided further proof that referees were treating Stoke players differently to their opposition.
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Stoke City and Aston Villa players square up after Ciaran Clark's challenge on Glenn Whelan. Tony Pulis believes this should have led to a red card for Clark.
He is adamant that Ciaran Clark's unpunished challenge on Glenn Whelan would have prompted a red card had it been committed by a Stoke player.
Pulis told Riley, chairman of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, that too many referees are going into Stoke games with preconceptions about their allegedly aggressive style.
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"I have spoken to Mike Riley this week," Pulis revealed, "and given him a piece of my mind on the subject.
"I find the whole situation disappointing week after week.
"Look at the incidents where our players are being booked or sent off, then compare them with similar incidents involving others that are going unpunished.
"There was the Clark one on Glenn at Villa, but look at the second yellow Ryan Shotton received when he was trying to avoid Fabien Delph.
"It was like the Carlos Tevez one on Rafael in the Manchester derby, except Tevez's may have been intentional. But he doesn't get booked.
"All we have ever asked is to be treated the same as everyone else, but there are preconceptions about us that are unfair."
Pulis believes his grievance explains why Stoke are bottom of the Premier League fair play table with 32 yellows and three reds from 16 fixtures.
Only West Ham have more bookings (33), while Norwich top the table after only 13 yellows.
Meanwhile, Pulis has called on Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to help spearhead the fight to rid the British game of diving cheats.
Pulis, pictured, has repeated his call for proven divers to be suspended after seeing Arsenal's Spanish playmaker Santi Cazorla win a controversial penalty against West Brom last weekend.
That follows similar incidents against Stoke involving Liverpool's Luis Suarez and Chelsea pair Oscar and Branislav Ivanovic.
But Pulis says only high-profile footballing figures like Wenger can bring about a change.
"It won't come from Tony Pulis or Steve Clarke," he argued. "It will be interesting to see what Arsene Wenger and others will make of it because they are the ones who have power in football.
"You have to ban these players for three games and then they will soon stop diving."
And he took a swipe at those foreign players accused of spreading the practice.
"They should be embarrassed," he added. "This is England and our culture is not their culture."
Meanwhile, Pulis lost out to West Brom's Steve Clarke for the Premier League manager of the month award for November.
Sir Alex Ferguson and Chris Hughton were also nominated.
MICHAEL Owen played 70 minutes of Stoke's 1-0 defeat to Preston in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Britannia Stadium yesterday.
Comments
by defjamrcs
Friday, December 14 2012, 9:35AM
“bcbg16.
I presume that either:
a) You're not a full deck of cards
b) You're a drunk
c) the 16 in your name is your age. And you're still immature for your age.
Why all the hate for Pulis on here. Tell you what - Stars is right. Disgusting”
by DJofTNE
Thursday, December 13 2012, 12:50PM
“My understanding of the rules is that you cannot obstruct a player, when your manager openly admits he pulled the wool over the refs eyes straight after the match something is wrong.... is this not cheating, not playing by the rules or is it one rule stokie 1989? Obstruction is obstruction, you cannot do it simple as that.”
by Stars-stripes
Thursday, December 13 2012, 7:28AM
“Well I must be missing something if these are stoke FANS. Disgusting”
by bcbg16
Thursday, December 13 2012, 3:46AM
“PULIS **** YOUR STUPID GOB !!!!! You need to look at why you cant come up with a plan to play some football and score a goal .Rubbish football,boring tactics and a complete lack of respect for travelling fans.11 men behind the ball YYYYAAAAWWWWWWNNNNNNNN!!! You make me sick,no full backs for 5 years,taken you 4 years to get a decent midfielder (NZONZI) You are a very lucky man who needs to go !”
by Stars-stripes
Thursday, December 13 2012, 12:01AM
“You tell them Tony”
by R_WStripes
Wednesday, December 12 2012, 10:03PM
“Yes we've had some bad decisions from referees, in partcular against Chelsea and now Villa, but Pulis needs to stop deflecting things away from the real issues and that is, the fact that he has become too ultra-cautious and he won't even play a 4-4-1-1 (he never plays 4-4-2) !! This is because he is too defensive and won't try Adam in a 4-4-2. It's ok having the best defence in the league temporarily, but we have got to start attacking more !! No shots on target = no goals = no entertainment. Forget griding any more draws out and please lets play two up front and give Crouch some help off Jerome or Walters ?”
by Stokie1989
Wednesday, December 12 2012, 2:43PM
“DJofTNE - I agree with the Crouch incident but to say that Stokes goal against West Ham away was cheating is a joke. It was a well worked set piece which if you'd have scored it then you wouldnt have an issue with it. Did you call Nathan Dyer a cheat when he stood on Ramsey's leg then fell down like a pack of spuds claiming a penalty? No i bet you didn't!”
by muzerawah
Wednesday, December 12 2012, 2:01PM
“Working across the North and Midlands I come into contact with many supporters of other clubs. The perception of the majority that go to matches is that Stoke are tough but not dirty; most including several Baggies fans have admiration for what they generally see as hard but fair tactics, it's a contact sport after all.
Fair point raised on corners though, we do pull the opposition all over the place but that's no different to any other team in the Prem. To top it off, I can't recall a Stoke player in the last few seasons losing it and headbutting the opposition goalkeeper or going in with intent to maim their opponent. I think Pulis is right on this one.”
by brinsleymaclagan
Wednesday, December 12 2012, 1:34PM
“What a load of racist nonsense, Pulis.
I remember Francis Lee being lambasted for diving back in the 70's, and he played for England!
What about stopping defenders pulling and pushing their opponents at corners? Stoke are one of the worst for that and surely that's cheating?
Concentrate on getting Stoke playing some decent football and scoring some goals you idiot!”
by spartacus
Wednesday, December 12 2012, 1:07PM
“Blah Blah Blah, Id be more concearned with a player who couldnt keep his mouth shut for his first booking, if he had he probably wouldnt have been booked for the second (non offence), we dish it out and should be big enough to take it back,lets concentrate on taking 3 points at home on saturday with an attacking formation.”