Pulis in club v country rant

TONY PULIS has called for action on the ‘ridiculous’ issue of losing players to international duty, arguing it is time national associations paid players’ wages while they are away.

The West Brom manager’s £12million record signing Salomon Rondon is about to make his third trip home to Venezuela this season for World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Ecuador.

Rondon has been slow to adapt to the Premier League, but the 26-year-old showed his quality in heading West Brom’s winner at Carrow Road.

Pulis said: ‘It has got to be looked at because they are away so long. If international teams want these players then they should pay their wages for those weeks they are away. It has been bandied around that if you want international games then play them at the end of the season.’

He added: ‘The Premier League and the FA and all the governing bodies have to try to change the situation. It is really ridiculous.

‘When Salomon goes away it is a 22-hour flight. He is a national hero over there. I don’t think he has had time to come back and rest and pick up his performances.’

SUPER STAT: West Brom have kept six clean sheets so far, the most in the Premier League.

NORWICH (4-4-1-1): Ruddy 6.5; Martin 6, Bennett 6, Bassong 5, Brady 6; Redmond 6.5, Howson 6.5, Tettey 6, Jarvis 6.5; Hoolahan 6.5 (Jerome 78min); Mbokani 5.

Subs not used: Rudd, Whittaker, Grabban, Dorrans, Olsson, O’Neil. Booked: Howson.

WEST BROM (4-2-3-1): Myhill 7; Dawson 5, McAuley 6, Evans 6.5, Brunt 7.5; Fletcher 6.5, Yacob 6; Sessegnon 7, Berahino 6 (Gardner 88), McClean 7; Rondon 6.5 (Lambert 74, 6). Subs not used: Lindegaard, Olsson, Chester, Anichebe, McManaman. Booked: McClean, Brunt. Scorer: Rondon 46.

Man of the match: Chris Brunt. Referee: Kevin Friend 5. By RIATH AL-SAMARRAI