Stoke City Football Club News

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

• Ground:Britannia Stadium
• Capacity:28,218

Pulis offers Lawrence backing

24 Sep 2008 - 13:31:41

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Stoke City midfielder Liam Lawrence has been backed to regain top form sooner rather than later by Potters manager Tony Pulis.

The 26-year-old Irishman has struggled in recent weeks and was handed a starting spot in the Carling Cup tie against Reading in a bid to help him get back on from.

Pulis told The Sentinel: "I think Liam has been a little bit short of confidence and he's a fit lad anyway, so there was no problem about putting him in for this one.

"I don't know what it is about Liam's confidence, but he'll be fine. The fella has been absolutely fantastic for us, one of my best signings.

"I've got a lot of time for him because he's a great lad and there's no doubt he will get back his best form."

Meanwhile, Pulis has admitted that the agents of several of his fringe players have been asking questions about why their clients have not been featuring more for City this season.

He added: "I've had one or two agents bleating on about their players not playing, but the players themselves have been fine.

"I will have to learn how to deal with players who are not playing. It's a new thing for me, a new stage in my management career, but I do remember how I didn't like not playing when I was a player.

"We have got a good spirit in the dressing room and keeping them all together and happy will be difficult, because they all want to play."