Why Pulis’ hat is never in the ring for the plum jobs
Despite regularly performing minor miracles, the West Brom manager’s image holds him back
aving secured that most urgent target of 40 points with West Bromwich Albion, Tony Pulis needs a new ambition before the end of the season. He should get to work acquiring himself a new image.
But for set-piece excellence and a love affair with a baseball cap Pulis would be more appreciated as one of the finest managers of his generation. The 59-year-old might be the most underrated coach in the Premier League.
West Brom are on course to break a few club records this season. They have never had so many points at this stage of a Premier League campaign and have also won seven of their last eight home league games.
Pulis’s capacity to save clubs from relegation has led to him being identified as a specialist firefighter, but he is demonstrating with resources and quality that there is more to him than the discourteous perception that his main tactical instruction is ‘chase that and put your foot in, lads’.
Yet when the highest profile managerial changes are made this summer, you will not find Pulis listed as anything more than a novelty bet.
Check out the latest odds on who might replace Arsène Wenger at Arsenal and you will get a fuller insight into how a manager’s image can be more precious than a substantial CV.
Only one top bookmaker is openly offering a price on Pulis moving to the Emirates, and at 100-1 he is sitting uncomfortably alongside Paul Merson, Ally McCoist and Gary Neville. You might have more luck backing Wayne Shaw to become head chef at The Savoy.
“If Pulis was a foreign coach we’d be fawning over him and he’d be one of the leading candidates for the Arsenal job,” is the slogan heading to the mouth of a TV pundit near you.
Actually, that is not the case.
“If Pulis was Eddie Howe we’d be fawning over him and he’d be one of the leading candidates for the Arsenal job,” is more accurate.
Howe is second favourite to be Arsenal’s next manager, as low as 5-1. This lends itself to the most salient ‘Howe and why?’ investigation of the season.
Most Arsenal fans will not want either of them