Well Black October has left us and we move into November with a new manager, but for me the dark cloud has not lifted. After a tiring and stressful week I decided to take today off work, and as a result caught the live 9am press conference at the Britannia Stadium announcing Tony Pulis as the new Stoke manager.

The event lacked the usual excitement, razzmatazz and enthusiasm of such occasions, as it is plain to see that Pulis is very much a second choice appointment following the Board's disappointment of George Burley's last minute refusal. Indeed Chairman Gunnar Gislason took this opportunity to lambast the press for peddling rumours and damaging stories about Stoke City and financial difficulties, before moving on to introduce Pulis. He spoke of the reporters losing their sense of smell for a story, and in a weak joke offered them his nasal spray! (Cue tumbleweed!) Gunnar said he was delighted to announce Pulis as the new manager, but he didn't look it. It seemed a lukewarm introduction. Pulis for his part looked like a man lucky to be finding himself in the position he's in. Pulis is to take immediate charge of team affairs and will pick the team for the game tomorrow at Walsall. Dave Kevan will remain 1st Team Coach, and John Rudge is still Director of Football.

Describing Pulis as having a "solid background and good record", Gislason added Pulis was the first person they interviewed, and was willing to commit long term. He believed Pulis is the type to honour his contract. This says it all really. Basically Pulis has been appointed because he actually wanted the job (and after 2 years out of football he must be desperate for employment) while other more favourble candidates did not. I'm sure he will commit long term as no one else will want him judging on his past efforts at previous clubs.

All well and good for the rhetoric. However having read many recent messages from fans of Pulis' former clubs, it is easy to be worried about this man's appointment. He has a reputation for disliking foreign players (and maybe foreigners - so what does he make of our Board?!!) so will his comments about moving people out to bring players in translate into selling our decent creative, foreign players to bring in aged journey-men? For single minded can we read narrow minded and stubborn? Worringly one fan of his former club Bristol City said of him "His practices are highly irregular at best, and like a wounded animal he will lash out at the players, fans, and when times are desperate even his own directors if it means excusing his own incompetence". Are we set for a poor style of football, and a refusal to change it when things go wrong?

Sadly this appointment smacks of desperation. It is clear that the prime favourites have turned down the job. The decision is even more upsetting when you think that 24 hours ago we were all delighted as George Burley seemed destined to be joining Stoke. I feel sorry for the Board because the quality of candidates was largely mediocre or untried, and Burley stood out way above them all. They though they had their man, and I'm sure their long faces yesterday afternoon were as much to do with the thought of, "Oh well we'll have to offer it to Pulis now" as anything else! Imagine too the players thinking that they were going to work with the highly respected Burley, only to find it is now the highly questionable Pulis. They must be gutted. But they are professionals and must get on with the job. I do agree with Pulis that Stoke have the potential to be a Premiership club, but I'm not convinced that he is the man capable of leading us there. He was second choice, and could turn out to be second rate. I hope I'm proved wrong, and we start his reign with three points at Walsall. We must get behind the lads, the club is bigger than any individual. I just can't see myself singing "Tony Pulis' barmy army" with much gusto. Indeed if at all. Dark days. Let's hope Morrissey's words don't ring true - "November spawned a monster"!

AndyP 01/11/02