Source: Daily_Mail
Pulis stands up for Redknapp as Stoke prepare for Spurs clash
Stoke boss Tony Pulis has defended his old friend Harry Redknapp
He said: 'The players find out these days, whether interest in them is spread all over the newspapers and on the television or not.
'There are too many people involved in transfers these days to keep secrets. Agents and other people get informed and the player himself soon finds out about it.
'It was nice when deals were done manager to manager, but unfortunately that's gone out of the window. It gets back to the players whatever happens.
'Harry has always done things his way and he knows what buttons to press in his pursuit of players.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp
'He's managed to get (Jermain) Defoe and (Wilson) Palacios and those will be two of the best players to move during the window. I think Palacios would get in any side in the country.
'Harry has always liked to bring in his own players and, with (Pascal) Chimbonda and (Carlo) Cudicini going there, he could field close to half a new team against us.'
With no match at the weekend following Stoke's FA Cup third-round exit at Hartlepool, Pulis opted to take his players away for a four-day training camp in Dubai last week.
And he insists they have now recovered from their heartbreaking injury-time defeat at Chelsea last time out and are raring to go.
He said: 'The unfortunate thing was we took some of the Stoke-on-Trent weather with us. It rained quite a lot over there, but it was definitely a very useful exercise.
'We were able to train twice a day in a bit of warmth and bed in our new players, James Beattie and Matty Etherington. The players also did activities together in the evenings and it was an enjoyable trip.
'I also thought it was important to get away because a change is as good as a rest. It's a long, long season, which doesn't finish until the end of May, and a break like that freshens everybody up.
'We stayed at a nice hotel and had cracking facilities and I have to thank the chairman, Peter Coates, who was keen for us to go away and do it.
'There are now 16 games to go and we have a certain number of points as our target. We have to hold our nerve and stay focused and not get too downhearted if we lose a game or two.
'The way we lost so late at Chelsea was like a kick in the stomach and knocked the stuffing out of us. The players were quiet on the first day we were away, but they are a great group and I'm confident there will be no hangover when we get cracking tomorrow.'
