Former West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis has hailed the “fantastic” job James Morrison is doing at The Hawthorns, while arguing that football’s push towards extended play-offs demonstrates how commercial interests now dictate the sport.
Pulis, who managed Morrison during his tenure with West Brom, believes the young head coach has emphatically dispelled any initial scepticism surrounding his appointment, steering the club forward despite working under tight financial constraints.
“What a job Moz has done there. He’s been absolutely fantastic,” Pulis said in an exclusive chat with CasinoHawks.
“He’s a quiet, unassuming lad, but he’s clever and he knows what he wants.
“He has worked with some really, really good managers and did work in Scotland with the national team as well, so he’s qualified in my mind.
Fans behind Morrison
“Obviously he’s been at the club a long time and has the club at heart. He’ll know what’s needed and the supporters will be massively behind him.
“There were questions when he got the job, but those questions have been answered now. Knowing him personally, that is one job where I think he’s done exceptionally well, because they haven’t spent a lot of money.”
Addressing the broader debate surrounding extended play-off systems, Pulis conceded that while the format succeeds commercially by keeping fans engaged, sporting integrity over a 46-game campaign should see three teams go up automatically.
“It’s brilliant for the supporters, and if you’re looking at it as a business model to keep the supporters involved and glued to their teams, yeah. I’ll be really interested to see how it pans out at the end of the season,” Pulis explained.
Gruelling season
“Football-wise, I’ve always said over a gruelling season, whichever division you’re in, the top three teams should get promoted.
“But football has moved away from just football, it’s a business now. The more money they can generate and the more interest they keep going throughout the season, obviously the better it is for the clubs and the associations.”
Highlighting the stark contrast between the English pyramid and American sport – where his son Anthony is an assistant coach in Major League Soccer – Pulis noted how the absence of relegation removes the severe financial peril faced by clubs in the UK.
Added pressure
“They do it in America. My son is in the MLS with Real Salt Lake, and there’s no promotion and relegation there, so there’s never the added pressure that you have in this country where getting relegated can cause enormous financial loss,” Pulis added.
“In America, you can go through a really poor season and nothing really happens. So yeah, I’ll be interested to see how it pans out and how it goes.”
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