Source: SKY_Sports
Pulis puts friendship aside
Stoke boss Tony Pulis has nothing but respect for Gareth Southgate, but remains fully focused on pushing Middlesbrough closer to relegation.[LNB] The Potters welcome Southgate's Boro side to the Britannia Stadium on Saturday for a vital fixture in the battle against the drop.[LNB]Pulis' troops are in the bottom three on goal difference, while the visitors are a further two points adrift with just nine games of the season remaining.[LNB]Southgate made an immediate impression on the Stoke boss when they first met almost 10 years ago, and Pulis has nothing but praise for the Premier League's longest-serving English manager.[LNB]BrilliantHe said: "Gareth is a smashing lad. The first time I met him was when I was manager at Gillingham and we were preparing for the play-off final against Manchester City a few years back now.[LNB]"I took Gillingham up to Villa's training ground for a break before the game at Wembley. John Gregory was manager at the time and he arranged for us to use their facilities.[LNB]"And Gareth, who was playing for Villa then, was doing some training there on his own ahead of an England match.[LNB]"He came and asked me if he could join in with us for three days, and he was brilliant. I have had a lot of time for him ever since."[LNB]But come kick-off on Saturday, Pulis will put sentiment to one side and has called on his players to use their home form as a platform for survival.[LNB]Stoke have been a force to be reckoned with on home turf, but appalling away from home, which is why the Potters boss sees their five remaining home games as vital.[LNB]DestinyHe added: "However much I admire him and what he has done, when the game starts there is only one team that I will want to win.[LNB]"We have nine games to go and destiny is in our own hands. We have five home games left and we must glean as many points from those games as possible.[LNB]"Our away form has not been good so it is five home cup finals now for us to save ourselves.[LNB]"We can determine our own future, nobody else. Especially in the home games.[LNB]"Our fans have been fantastic, they have loved every minute of the Premier League and have never turned on us."[LNB]
