New manager Tony Pulis admits West Brom survival will be tough task

Tony Pulis has outlined his vision for West Bromwich Albion as he was officially unveiled to the press as the club’s new manager.

The former Crystal Palace and Stoke City manager signed a two-and-a-half year deal to take charge at The Hawthorns from Alan Irvine who was sacked after winning just four times all season.
The 56-year-old stressed the need for all at the club to pull in the same direction and estepped questions about whether he had insisted on full control over all transfer business, a responsibility which has been given to the club’s director of football in recent years.

“Someone asked me if I minded being called ‘head coach’. You can call me ‘head bottle washer’ if you want – titles don’t make a difference,” he said. “As long as I know there are specific responsibilities that I’m in charge of, I don’t care what I’m called.

“A lot has been said about the way the club has been run in the past and how it’s going to be run with me in the future. The most important thing is that everyone works together, irrespective of who makes the decisions.

“The infrastructure of this football club is in place, but that’s secondary. What happens on the pitch comes first and if you don’t have the team to win games, then all the surroundings fall away to insignificance.

“Everybody understands the position we’re in. The fact the club has been struggling and only won four games at the Hawthorns in 2014 means that something is wrong and has to be sorted out.

“Just because I’m here now doesn’t mean we will stay up. There is a lot of work to do and we have to pull together to make sure the club stays up.”

Credit: Cian O'Callaghan/SetantaSport