Tony Pulis press conference: Transfers and non transfers (preview of the Stoke VS Arsenal game)

Stoke City Press Conference 9am 24/08/12

It’s the last week before Transfer Deadline Day. Although Tony Pulis and the club have played down any major signings previously, Pulis did wet supporters’ appetites by saying: “We haven’t done as much business as we’d like to do, so next week hopefully will be a little busier for us. We’re looking to bring a few more in if we can next week.”

One name mentioned was Harry Kewell. TP pointed out that he was only at Stoke for training purposes, although due to a crossed wire with his agent, Kewell “thought there was something more concrete at the end of it”, which there wasn’t. Maurice Edu’s name was not so convincingly dismissed by TP: “We’ve been linked with millions of players,” he said. However, when Michael Owen’s name was mentioned, TP would not be drawn at all, saying that Stoke “did their business with the players first and foremost, and then let the press know.” Hm. Watch this space, it seems.

However, TP did confirm that Chris Coleman, Wales manager, had been in Stoke this week to talk to Ryan Shawcross, hoping that he may still play for Wales, and to explain all the controversial media stories involving Aaron Ramsay. When asked, TP said that being Welsh himself he would love Ryan to play for Wales, but it is up to him. (Ryan has subsequently declined interest.) In passing, TP also laughed off any connection between Ryan and QPR, which had been suggested on the Mail’s website.

As for Arsenal and the recent animosity between them and Stoke, TP suggested that history is being re-written by some people when it comes to Arsenal and Stoke; for example, their disciplinary records. The Gunners’ red card record (4) last season was very poor compared to Stoke’s (2), whereas some people seem to imply that it was the other way around. He observed that sometimes Arsene really doesn’t see everything. “But it’s always a special atmosphere against Arsenal!”

As for the Swindon game on Tuesday night, TP was asked about being up against the master of touchline animation Paulo Di Canio, but he decided to focus not on his Italian mannerisms but the fact that he had “brought that little bit of that Italian steel defensively to them”.

For more on that interview for 6 Towns Radio, see, youtube