Pulis set for shock Premier League return

LONDON: Tony Pulis is the leading contender to take over at Swansea City if the board lose patience with manager Paul Clement.

It was reported that Clement’s future is not dependent on winning at home against Bournemouth late yesterday, but Swansea are very aware of Pulis’ record of never having been relegated as a manager.

The Swans are the only club in the bottom five of the Premier League not to have had a change of leadership this season, and defeat would be a fifth consecutive loss for the Welsh side.

They have also lost five of their six home league matches so far in this campaign.

Pulis, 59, would be available to start immediately after he was sacked by West Bromwich Albion last Monday.

Clement has called on his players to be ‘mentally tough’ in coping with the increasingly fraught atmosphere at the Liberty Stadium.

He said: “The owners are very supportive of my position here. They are not happy with the performances, the chairman is not happy with performances, neither am I, and neither are the players.

“I think the atmosphere has affected some players, that is normal — but they have to learn to deal with that. You have to be mentally tough in times of difficulty when you are not playing so well, you make a mistake and the crowd turn.

“How they deal with that is an important part of being mentally tough as a player. The players have experienced it, they have to go out and try to perform well.

“If something does go wrong they must have the confidence and be positive enough to continue to try to do things in the correct way.”

Meanwhile, Alan Pardew has emerged as the strong favourite to become the new manager of West Brom.

Pardew, 56, has had two meetings with West Brom chief executive John Williams this week.

And that has led insiders at the club to believe an announcement is imminent. However, nothing has yet been agreed with further talks required before a decision is made. Sam Allardyce, Slaven Bilic and Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder have also been considered.

Pardew’s Premier League record and reputation for making a quick impact make him an attractive proposition for West Brom.

He was most successful at Newcastle, taking the club to fifth in 2011-12, and he guided West Ham to ninth in 2005-06. Agencies