Source: Team_Talk
Pulis hits back at Potters critics
Tony Pulis reckons managers of the Premier League's top clubs only criticise the likes of Stoke because of their own side's inadequacies.[LNB] The Potters have rattled the cages of a number of managers - most notably Arsene Wenger and Roberto Mancini - in their two seasons in the Premier League, but the criticism has usually come their way after a win.[LNB]Wenger accused Stoke of cowardice and deliberately setting out to injure his players after Arsenal were beaten 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium last season, while Mancini took a swipe at their style of play after Manchester City on three occasions failed to get the better of the Potters in February.[LNB]That criticism annoyed Pulis, who believes the Italian should have been more concerned by his expensively-assembled side coming unstuck against so-called lesser opposition.[LNB]"He (Mancini) said when you go to Stoke the ball is always in the air," Pulis told the Stoke Sentinel.[LNB]"But they had 60 per cent of the ball in both games (Stoke played) against them recently.[LNB]"What disappoints me is managers dragging us into it. They try to turn it on us because of their own inadequacy, instead of saying 'yes, we weren't at it today and Stoke deserved to win'."[LNB]"If you get a result against one of the so-called bigger teams, there's always excuses, instead of holding their hands up," he added.[LNB]"Even Man City can have an off day with £250million worth of talent. Just say so, that's all I ask.[LNB]"It isn't just Mancini. The perception is that if you get beat by a so-called smaller club, you've got to talk rubbish."
