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Post by chiefdelilah on Jan 17, 2016 11:25:53 GMT
Why would he complain ? I went to a Thun Istanbul and Valencia and he played the 2nd string in all of them with the first 11 not even travelling Exactly. It was absolutely no surprise what happened in Valencia. The only way we were taking the first team was if we were over 40 points Which in itself is mightily depressing.
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Post by senojbor on Jan 17, 2016 12:01:59 GMT
Fuck off you went for a piss up and a good time. Pulis did everything in the interest of SCFC. There was no need for him to do it. So he did it just to piss everybody off? The reality is that we were in a competition played on a Thursday which we had no chance of winning and every chance of picking up injuries to key players. That's why he did it.
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Post by chiefdelilah on Jan 17, 2016 12:03:55 GMT
There was no need for him to do it. So he did it just to piss everybody off? The reality is that we were in a competition played on a Thursday which we had no chance of winning and every chance of picking up injuries to key players. That's why he did it. No chance of winning? Swansea won 3-0 there not long after. Our second string gave them a good game. He did it because he shit himself. Do you really think we wouldn't have picked up the six or so points we needed in the remaining three months of the season? With the same squad that reached the cup final the year before plus and extra £20m investment?
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Post by senojbor on Jan 17, 2016 12:19:49 GMT
So he did it just to piss everybody off? The reality is that we were in a competition played on a Thursday which we had no chance of winning and every chance of picking up injuries to key players. That's why he did it. No chance of winning? Swansea won 3-0 there not long after. Our second string gave them a good game. He did it because he shit himself. Do you really think we wouldn't have picked up the six or so points we needed in the remaining three months of the season? With the same squad that reached the cup final the year before plus and extra £20m investment? I was referring to the competition that we had no chance of winning with CL teams dropping into it, but seeing we lost the home leg it would have been a difficult to get anything anyway at Valencia. Our premier league status and final position was much more important.
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Post by davejohnno1 on Jan 17, 2016 12:19:58 GMT
There was no need for him to do it. So he did it just to piss everybody off? The reality is that we were in a competition played on a Thursday which we had no chance of winning and every chance of picking up injuries to key players. That's why he did it. What is the point in sport and in football then? We haven't much chance of winning the fa cup or league cup either. Should we throw those games as well? Fulham and Middlesbrough both reached the final of the same competition. Anything is possible. I've tried to avoid commenting on this thread but that game was the beginning of the end for pulis. He lost the trust if both the fans and the owner in one night. From having the safest job in football he became a man under pressure. What he did that night was inexcusable. Swansea and Norwich, both at home, with 3 months of the season left, were bigger games than a last 16 europa league game away at Valencia with 7000+ stoke fans in attendance? Says everything you need to know about our previous manager!
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Post by chiefdelilah on Jan 17, 2016 12:25:26 GMT
No chance of winning? Swansea won 3-0 there not long after. Our second string gave them a good game. He did it because he shit himself. Do you really think we wouldn't have picked up the six or so points we needed in the remaining three months of the season? With the same squad that reached the cup final the year before plus and extra £20m investment? I was referring to the competition that we had no chance of winning with CL teams dropping into it, but seeing we lost the home leg it would have been a difficult to get anything anyway at Valencia. Our premier league status and final position was much more important. Again, there were three months of the season left. THREE. MONTHS. We needed two wins. Was it the ramblings of a lunatic to suggest it was massively, massively unlikely we'd have been in relegation trouble if he'd taken the first team or at least filled the sodding bench?
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Post by chiefdelilah on Jan 17, 2016 12:26:17 GMT
Maybe Hughes should pick the reserves at Anfield and only have three lads on the bench?
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Post by owdestokie on Jan 17, 2016 12:33:24 GMT
Both myself and my mate had a great time in Valencia. Cracking atmosphere throughout and we enjoyed the game, the city and the crack with others who travelled. If we have the opportunity again but with the knowledge that Leslie may play a weakened side I'll first in the queue for tickets and a flight
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Post by senojbor on Jan 17, 2016 12:34:14 GMT
So he did it just to piss everybody off? The reality is that we were in a competition played on a Thursday which we had no chance of winning and every chance of picking up injuries to key players. That's why he did it. What is the point in sport and in football then? We haven't much chance of winning the fa cup or league cup either. Should we throw those games as well? Fulham and Middlesbrough both reached the final of the same competition. Anything is possible. I've tried to avoid commenting on this thread but that game was the beginning of the end for pulis. He lost the trust if both the fans and the owner in one night. From having the safest job in football he became a man under pressure. What he did that night was inexcusable. Swansea and Norwich, both at home, with 3 months of the season left, were bigger games than a last 16 europa league game away at Valencia with 7000+ stoke fans in attendance? Says everything you need to know about our previous manager! MH played a mostly second string at Doncaster last week. Had that backfired (these games often do) would he face the same criticism? Did Mark Hughes really need to do that? He did it and took the chance because the league is more important and didn't want to take the chance with key players. We lost Bojan at Rochdale for 9 months in a FA cup tie when really you could question his selection in the first place for that game. Perhaps he's learned a lesson?
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Post by chiefdelilah on Jan 17, 2016 12:37:11 GMT
What is the point in sport and in football then? We haven't much chance of winning the fa cup or league cup either. Should we throw those games as well? Fulham and Middlesbrough both reached the final of the same competition. Anything is possible. I've tried to avoid commenting on this thread but that game was the beginning of the end for pulis. He lost the trust if both the fans and the owner in one night. From having the safest job in football he became a man under pressure. What he did that night was inexcusable. Swansea and Norwich, both at home, with 3 months of the season left, were bigger games than a last 16 europa league game away at Valencia with 7000+ stoke fans in attendance? Says everything you need to know about our previous manager! MH played a mostly second string at Doncaster last week. Had that backfired (these games often do) would he face the same criticism? Did Mark Hughes really need to do that? He did it and took the chance because the league is more important and didn't want to take the chance with key players. We lost Bojan at Rochdale for 9 months in a FA cup tie when really you could question his selection in the first place for that game. Perhaps he's learned a lesson? Are you seriously comparing Doncaster to Valencia? Again, you keep ignoring this but we had 30 points and three months of the season left. If Pulis didn't trust himself and that squad of players to get over the line in that time without throwing the Valencia game he should've walked there and then.
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Post by davejohnno1 on Jan 17, 2016 12:46:38 GMT
What is the point in sport and in football then? We haven't much chance of winning the fa cup or league cup either. Should we throw those games as well? Fulham and Middlesbrough both reached the final of the same competition. Anything is possible. I've tried to avoid commenting on this thread but that game was the beginning of the end for pulis. He lost the trust if both the fans and the owner in one night. From having the safest job in football he became a man under pressure. What he did that night was inexcusable. Swansea and Norwich, both at home, with 3 months of the season left, were bigger games than a last 16 europa league game away at Valencia with 7000+ stoke fans in attendance? Says everything you need to know about our previous manager! MH played a mostly second string at Doncaster last week. Had that backfired (these games often do) would he face the same criticism? Did Mark Hughes really need to do that? He did it and took the chance because the league is more important and didn't want to take the chance with key players. We lost Bojan at Rochdale for 9 months in a FA cup tie when really you could question his selection in the first place for that game. Perhaps he's learned a lesson? That is totally different and I'm sure you know it. Any team we pick to play Doncaster should be good enough to win. Valencia away was arguably the biggest game in the clubs history. In the same situation I know for sure that Hughes wouldn't give anything up. Its like us going to anfield next week, with the team that played Doncaster and no one on the bench because we lost the first game. It won't happen.
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Post by ColonelMustard on Jan 17, 2016 13:31:03 GMT
Exactly. It was absolutely no surprise what happened in Valencia. The only way we were taking the first team was if we were over 40 points Which in itself is mightily depressing. It doesn't matter anymore but that was the nature of the man. Or his brief. Things have changed for us and for the premier league. For the better. :)
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Post by MarkWolstanton on Jan 17, 2016 14:04:56 GMT
a very disappointing day for everyone but Im failing to see any connection other than we lost Depends on your point of view. If you wish to lay every misfortune that ever affected Stoke at Pulis's feet then clearly he was to blame for failing to win that FA Cup Final. And probably to blame for the fact that we've never won the FA Cup. If you cannot get your head around people getting pissed off about not trying to make any attempt to win but rather hoping you get lucky in football matches in general, never mind a cup final and a knock out European tie then I wonder what sort of sports you do like. I guess if you are an apologist/forever grateful type you are not going to question anything at all.
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Post by partickpotter on Jan 17, 2016 14:37:36 GMT
In fairness to Pulis - he wasn't the first Premier League manager to pull this trick. Gary Megson with Bolton and Martin O'Neil at Villa did the same thing and got the same reaction from the supporters; disgust.
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Post by LL Cool Dave on Jan 17, 2016 14:40:06 GMT
I remember coming to book everything, the planning, the thought, the excitement of me and my mates going to watch Stoke at European and Spanish giants Valencia in a competitive game where we had a realistic chance of getting even further, then in the days building up to the match rumours about the squad that would travel circulated, but we were all to excited to be ruffled about it. Then after a fucking brilliant night in Barcelona the night before, we woke up, hungover but running on adrenaline, buzzing our tits off. We drove to Valencia in great spirits Only on arrival at the main square did we realise that dickbrain Pulis had sent the B team because Premier League safety was more important. What a load of bollocks. It ruined the trip. Yeah we had a fantastic day out and it was great to see so many Stokies there. But the bottom line was, hundreds if not thousands of stokies saved up for that trip especially and put every effort to go over there and support the lads in red n white with the hope of overturning the first leg. Only to be greeted by TP sending a massively under strength team. Never forgive him for that, and he went down in my estimation massively that day. (and has done even more so since.. But that's another story) So I'll finally say a big fat fuck you Pulis. Hughes will get us into Europe and when he does I'll be 100% confident he'll throw the kitchen sink at it for the fans! I was in the Hotel Reception when I got the team news, if I could have got my hands on Poolis I'd have strangled the bastard - my spirits dropped to the floor, I honestly believe we could have done Valencia at the Mestalla. The best thing about the trip was the Stoke fans - they were ACE, sang all through the game and for the 40 mins we were locked in after the whistle. Poolis, you'll never get support like that again, you didn't deserve it then and you certainly don't now. I got told by our hotel receptionist. What a welcome :-(
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Post by ColonelMustard on Jan 17, 2016 15:10:04 GMT
Depends on your point of view. If you wish to lay every misfortune that ever affected Stoke at Pulis's feet then clearly he was to blame for failing to win that FA Cup Final. And probably to blame for the fact that we've never won the FA Cup. If you cannot get your head around people getting pissed off about not trying to make any attempt to win but rather hoping you get lucky in football matches in general, never mind a cup final and a knock out European tie then I wonder what sort of sports you do like. I guess if you are an apologist/forever grateful type you are not going to question anything at all. Pulis played a second string side in Valencia. We lost. Pulis played his strongest side in the Cup Final. We lost. In fact about the only criticism of Pulis that could be levelled Cup Final wise was not playing a weakened side the week before in the defeat of Arsenal. But as that is one of my favourite Stoke games ever, its not a criticism Id level. But its about all I can think of. Maybe that and playing Ethers.
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Post by Vermelho20312505 on Jan 17, 2016 15:10:57 GMT
In fairness to Pulis - he wasn't the first Premier League manager to pull this trick. Gary Megson with Bolton and Martin O'Neil at Villa did the same thing and got the same reaction from the supporters; disgust. I don't know how that protects him in anyway. I don't care what other managers do. As other posters have said, if you don't try and win every competition why are we all hear. I'm glad we don't have to listen to this "40 point" shit under Hughes. For the poster who said we had no chance on the Europa League due to the CL teams dropping into it, did he realise that this happens every season and was not a late thought from UEFA?! We could have won the competition, and even if we couldn't we should have be level we could. I always liked Pulis when he was here but would have happily seen him sacked on the flight home for the unforgivable crime of screwing us, the fans.
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Post by clarkeda on Jan 17, 2016 15:24:01 GMT
He as good as threw the tie. Disgraceful. This is a point I was thinking about when I was reading the thread earlier. Amercian footballers and in other sports (I don't really follow much outside football) get huge fines and bans for throwing games. Why not football and football managers?
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Post by partickpotter on Jan 17, 2016 15:37:46 GMT
In fairness to Pulis - he wasn't the first Premier League manager to pull this trick. Gary Megson with Bolton and Martin O'Neil at Villa did the same thing and got the same reaction from the supporters; disgust. I don't know how that protects him in anyway. I don't care what other managers do. As other posters have said, if you don't try and win every competition why are we all hear. I'm glad we don't have to listen to this "40 point" shit under Hughes. For the poster who said we had no chance on the Europa League due to the CL teams dropping into it, did he realise that this happens every season and was not a late thought from UEFA?! We could have won the competition, and even if we couldn't we should have be level we could. I always liked Pulis when he was here but would have happily seen him sacked on the flight home for the unforgivable crime of screwing us, the fans. I'm not protecting him - just noting he did something other managers did, and got the same reaction from their supporters. It's sadly typical of football in the era of the Premier League - but not inevitable. I think Hughes would not do the same. Be nice to be in a position to find out. Maybe next season.
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Post by skip on Jan 17, 2016 16:00:03 GMT
He as good as threw the tie. Disgraceful. This is a point I was thinking about when I was reading the thread earlier. Amercian footballers and in other sports (I don't really follow much outside football) get huge fines and bans for throwing games. Why not football and football managers? Exactly. It's one thing 'protecting your best players for the league games' its another setting your team out (and sub bench) to reduce the odds of victory so significantly as to make the match almost meaningless. We'll never know but I wouldn't be at all surprised if he did precisely that.
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Post by Caerwrangonpotter on Jan 17, 2016 17:07:16 GMT
The walk from the square to the ground which just got longer & longer with Stoke fans....the junior players who stopped the games to watch the red & prosession passing over a bridge...
...and Asemendi & Palacios in midfield on a lovely Valencia evening I seem to remember
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Post by GreaterGlasgowstokie on Jan 17, 2016 21:25:48 GMT
He played the wrong team in the first leg as well, Crouch as a lone striker, with Walters playing deeper, and 8 centre backs or whatever.
Awful, fucking awful.
Funnily enough, I think we would have won the second leg if we hadn't played Danny Collins at left back. But yes, it was a big 'fuck you' to the fans. I thought he treated both legs with total disdain
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Post by Fred Ferret on Jan 17, 2016 21:39:22 GMT
as I remember it after being nearly safe in december when the remarks were made we couldn't buy a result into the new year and the first string lost the game at home - we had a huge game following which form says we were could be losing after a Thursday night in the Europa - it wasn't a surprise at all when the team came through - anyone surprised hadn't worked him out at all Edit- and its anything but bottling it, it might show disdane for what the fans want but it was him doing what he thought was best no matter how unpopular Sorry, but that just does not cut the mustard! The previous manager called loud and strong for the 12th man and he got an army of commitment - then he, clear as a bell, betrayed them on the their greatest night in the campaign. So, so many times - away from home - he bottled it. He totally lost it, for me then. Despite, or in spite of him, the players showed magnificent pride.
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Post by Fred Ferret on Jan 17, 2016 21:42:02 GMT
Wasn't every away game in Europe followed by an away game in the league? Remember Tony moaning about it and wanting help from the FA Excuse merchants do that sort of thing.
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Post by Fred Ferret on Jan 17, 2016 21:47:31 GMT
There was no need for him to do it. So he did it just to piss everybody off? The reality is that we were in a competition played on a Thursday which we had no chance of winning and every chance of picking up injuries to key players. That's why he did it. Utter twaddle - with respect!
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Post by ColonelMustard on Jan 18, 2016 16:30:22 GMT
as I remember it after being nearly safe in december when the remarks were made we couldn't buy a result into the new year and the first string lost the game at home - we had a huge game following which form says we were could be losing after a Thursday night in the Europa - it wasn't a surprise at all when the team came through - anyone surprised hadn't worked him out at all Edit- and its anything but bottling it, it might show disdane for what the fans want but it was him doing what he thought was best no matter how unpopular Sorry, but that just does not cut the mustard! The previous manager called loud and strong for the 12th man and he got an army of commitment - then he, clear as a bell, betrayed them on the their greatest night in the campaign. So, so many times - away from home - he bottled it. He totally lost it, for me then. Despite, or in spite of him, the players showed magnificent pride. I totally disagree about the bottling it. But he definitely didnt give much of a fuck for fan opinion true enough. And true despite this I remember his name being sung in the stadium louder than Id ever heard at the Brit.
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Post by Stoke711 on Jan 19, 2016 9:22:24 GMT
We took over 7,000, you are correct. Not sure of the exact amount. The team we put out did us proud but I was so pissed at TP for the side he put out. I really think had we put our strongest side out we'd have gone through. Pissed at TP? That doesn't make sense. Did you go on the piss with Pulis after the game, or were you pissed off with him for taking a reserve team? Or are you just introducing inane fucking Americanisms to our language? 24/7 365 SCFC BM Pissed off at TP for taking a reserve team. Was still a very enjoyable experience though. Loved every minute of it, just feel with a stronger side they were there for the taking.
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Post by KevinWhimper on Jan 19, 2016 10:36:59 GMT
I remember at the time being too pissed to notice what the team was until they were on the pitch and I kept seeing Delap at full back and wondering what the fuck was going on. Then it dawned on me that he'd left every bastard at home and I was raging. They were absolutely there for the taking and it was cowardly what he did.
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Post by supersimonstainrod on Jan 19, 2016 11:51:58 GMT
We took over 7,000, you are correct. Not sure of the exact amount. The team we put out did us proud but I was so pissed at TP for the side he put out. I really think had we put our strongest side out we'd have gone through. Pissed at TP? That doesn't make sense. Did you go on the piss with Pulis after the game, or were you pissed off with him for taking a reserve team? Or are you just introducing inane fucking Americanisms to our language? 24/7 365 SCFC BM To paraphrase an insult from Monty Python and The Holy Grail: "Tony Pulis: I piss in your general direction....."
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Post by winston on Jan 19, 2016 12:18:01 GMT
Fuck off you went for a piss up and a good time. Pulis did everything in the interest of SCFC. He did it in the best interests of Tony Pulis ...He was/is only interested in his £1m+ bonus he gets every season for survival We had 32 points going into that game and he didn't back HIS expensively assembled squad to get his mythical 40 points DISGRACEFUL and with still 3 months of the season remaining Exactly. No morals, only interested in himself, his money (not ours) and his legacy. Look how he stitched Palace up. Asked for his £1m early, cashed it and then left them without a manger going into the new season.
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