Foster: Pulis treats us like kids... it’s great!

SLASHING rest days, a new fines system, players treated like kids — Ben Foster has lifted the lid on the Tony Pulis regime at West Bromwich Albion, and insists he’s loving it. According to the England goalkeeper, the secret to West Brom’s revival is Pulis’s insistence on hard work by all, raising fitness levels, and a refusal to give an inch at training. West Brom beat Birmingham courtesy of Victor Anichebe’s brace to make it three wins and a draw since Pulis took charge. And Foster said: ‘If I was a manager, I would be like him. You’ve got to treat football players like kids sometimes. If you give them an inch they will take a mile — it’s amazing. ‘He’s on us and it’s what we needed. It is old-fashioned graft but it is great. He lets nobody slack off. ‘Everybody is training to their maximum every day and looking sharper. You can see the difference. ‘We get Sunday off, which is a nice family day, but in the week it’s hard work and it’s a big step up from what we have been doing in recent years. I really like it. Maybe before, coming in on a Monday, you could have taken it easy. Nothing like that is happening now. Nobody gets away with anything. ‘He loves to see players in the gym getting stronger and it stands to reason. If you’re fitter and stronger you will be able to do more on a Saturday afternoon. It is brutal but I love it.’ Pulis is desperate for reinforcements but Foster believes players already at the Hawthorns are improving under the new manager. ‘He’s so professional, so thorough, and he thinks everything through, down to the tiniest detail,’ Foster added. ‘If you’re willing to work hard, be professional and do it the right way, you’ll fit in. If not, you haven’t got much of a chance with him. ‘He has set up a brilliant fines system which has already recouped a good bit of money and people won’t be slipping up anymore. It’s good. I can’t go into details!’ WEST BROM are close to completing a £4.75m deal for Wigan winger Callum McManaman.

SUPER STAT: Anichebe has scored three goals in four games, having netted just four times in the previous 18 months for Albion.

BIRMINGHAM CITY (4-4-1-1): Randolph 6; Caddis 6.5, Morrison 6, Robinson 5, Grounds 6.5; Cotterill 7, Gleeson 6.5, Davis 6 (Thomas 86min), Dyer 6.5 (Gray 70, 6.5); Shinnie 6.5; Novak 6.5 (Zigic 75. 5).

Subs not used: Doyle, Donaldson, Reilly, Spector Booked: Robinson. Scorer: Grounds 45.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION (4-4-2): Myhill 6.5 (Foster 61, 6.5); Wisdom 6, McAuley 6.5, Dawson 6.5, Lescott 6.5; Gardner 6.5, Brunt 6.5, Yacob 6.5, Sessegnon 6 (Baird 68, 5); Berahino 7, Anichebe 7.5 (Ideye 81). Subs not

used: Morrison, Pocognoli, Gamboa, Dorrans.

Scorer: Anichebe 25, 35. Man of the match: Victor Anichebe.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg 7.