BAGGIES WON’T PUL THE PLUG
<M<IP B@:B# <M<IP >F8C# <M<IP >8D<# Tony feeling safe
TONY PULIS believes he still has the backing of West Brom’s board.
The Albion boss faced chants of ‘We want Pulis out’ at the John Smith’s Stadium and then took a Saturday night pasting on radio phone-ins and social media.
Pulis has always prided himself on getting results, having never been relegated as a player or manager in a career stretching back more than 40 years.
But, since the start of April, he has won three out of 20 league games, and is on a run of nine without a win after Rajiv van La Parra’s stunner gave Huddersfield the points.
It was not just the defeat that angered Baggies fans – it was that their team lacked a threat against a Terriers side down to 10 men for the final 33 minutes after Christopher Schindler was sent off.
They demanded to know why creative players such as Nacer Chadli and Oliver Burke were not given a chance – and why the manager insisted on fielding a defensive 5-3-2 formation.
Pulis has rarely been popular with fans, but the anger is rising as the club drop towards the bottom three.
Chairman John Williams heard it all as he watched and he will now report to the club’s Chinese owner Lai Guochuan.
But, as it stands, Pulis is not thought to be under threat – and he insists that he will turn things around.
Pulis said: “John popped in after the game and unity in the dressing room is absolutely first class.
“I’m not worried about the chairman. I’m not worried about the situation behind the scenes.
“My concern is always the players – and if I see a drop off with them then that would be a concern.
“What happens is when you’re at a football club – and I’ve been here nearly three years now – you take the club upwards and onwards.
“You have a look at the players I took over and the players we’ve brought to this football club. Compare the players we’ve got now. So the expectation levels go right through the roof.
‘‘We finished in the top 10 last year. We’ve brought some good players in and everybody was talking about us finishing in the top eight.”
Tougher
Van La Parra’s superb, curling 20-yard winner, right on half-time, was just reward for Huddersfield.
Albion, though, complained a free-kick given against Jay Rodriguez in the buildup should have gone their way.
The home side’s job got a whole lot tougher when Schindler, booked in the first half for wrestling down Hal RobsonKanu, HUDDERSFIELD (4-2-3-1): Lossl 8; Hadergjonaj 7, Zanka 7, Schindler 6, Malone 7 (Lowe 79); Hogg 7, Mooy 8; VAN LA PARRA 8 (Williams 62, 7), Kachunga 7 (Cranie 61, 7), Ince 7; Depoitre 6. Subs: Green, Smith, Quaner, Mounie. UP NEXT: Bournemouth (a), Premier League, Saturday, November 18. WEST BROM (5-3-2): Foster 6; Nyom 5, McAuley 5 (Phillips 59, 6), Hegazi 6, Evans 5, Gibbs 5; Livermore 5, Krychowiak 4 (Rondon 59, 5), BARRY 7; Rodriguez 5, Robson-Kanu 6 (McClean 59, 6). Subs: Myhill, Brunt, Yacob, Chadli. UP NEXT: Chelsea (h), Premier League, Saturday, November 18. Referee: Roger East 5. YOUR TURN: What was the scoreline when Huddersfield last hosted Albion, a third round FA Cup tie in 2010? was sent off for a late tackle on Ahmed Hegazi.
Yet it was only during six minutes of injury time that West Brom threatened, with Huddersfield keeper Jonas Lossl making great saves from James McClean and Matt Phillips.
For Huddersfield boss David Wagner, victory was the perfect way to mark yesterday’s second anniversary of his appointment.
The Terriers have climbed 29 places during those two amazing years – from 19th in the Championship to 10th in the Premier League.
“Even if I say that we are in the Premier League with 15 points from 11 games, it does not feel realistic,” he said. “This is more than a fairytale.”