Tony Pulis: Ex-Stoke boss would have relished Cardiff City job

Tony Pulis left Crystal Palace in August on the eve of the Premier League season

Former Stoke City manager Tony Pulis says he would have been interested in taking over at Cardiff City.

Newport-born Pulis was a favourite with bookmakers and many fans to succeed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The 56-year-old left Crystal Palace in August but was not considered for the Cardiff role before they appointed Russell Slade.

"If the call would have come I certainly would have spoken," Pulis told BBC's Sport Wales.

Pulis, who won the Premier League's manager of the year award last season, left Palace by mutual consent less than 48 hours before the start of the season.

He had been frustrated by the failure to land a number of summer transfer targets.

The former Newport County defender was linked with Cardiff but was not an option that appealed to the club's Malaysian owner Vincent Tan.

"It would have been wonderful in many respects to have gone back to Wales and to have taken over a football club that has the potential to back into the Premiership," Pulis added.

"It would have been wonderful to have got it back in the Premiership and established it but that wasn't to be.

"I never got a phone call and that's fine."

Former Leyton Orient manager Russell Slade was Tan's personal choice as after ex-Manchester United striker Solskjaer stepped down after nine months in charge,

A protracted legal dispute between Cardiff and Orient held up Slade's appointment but Cardiff have won their first two games under the 54-year-old, who has also managed Yeovil Town and Brighton.

Pulis says Cardiff fans should get behind Slade and believes they have got a good chance of getting promoted back to the Premier League despite a disappointing start to the season.

"I know Russell and he's a good man," Pulis added.

"Russell is carrying the flag for the football club and for the city - he's not just carrying the flag for himself.

"All the supporters should get behind him and work for one cause because Cardiff have still got a fantastic chance of getting promoted.

"They've not had the best of starts but they've still got an unbelievable chance of getting promoted."

Watch Sport Wales on Friday, 24 October from 19:00 to see a full interview with Tony Pulis, available on iPlayer for seven days after transmission.