Stoke City Football Club

• Nickname:Potters
• Founded:1863
• Manager:Tony Pulis

• Ground:Britannia Stadium
• Capacity:28218

Potters boss Pulis denies Tuncay rift

27 Oct 2010 - 13:12:06

Click To Enlarge

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has rubbished reports of a rift with Turkey playmaker Tuncay.

The 28-year-old forward was reported to have angered Pulis after walking out before a Premier League game against Bolton Wanderers earlier in the month when informed he was not part of the matchday squad.

Tuncay came off the bench to score in Sunday's 2-1 defeat by Manchester United at the Britannia Stadium and Pulis insists there has been no fall-out between the pair.

"Last time he was away in Turkey he brought me two bottles of wine back because I'd been ribbing him about Turkish wine not being as good as the rest of the Mediterranean," he told The Sentinel.

"That just shows I get on smashing with him and it was good wine incidentally.

"As for the taxi thing, he felt tired that day when he wasn't on the bench and I had told him he would definitely be involved against Manchester United.

"He asked if he could get a taxi home before the game and I said 'of course you can'.

"He just doesn't like watching us play. A lot of people are like that, getting uptight and frustrated if they aren't playing.

"I was annoyed a bit in the past, but I understand he has a different mentality, like a lot of players from different countries.

"I'd be telling lies if I said I hadn't had my moments with him because of my desire to push this football club on.

"Sometimes you expect them to be just the same as you and then find they haven't always got what I've got. But you also realise they have other things to offer."