Tony Pulis: West Brom boss says he 'will plough on' as head coach after loss to Chelsea

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Media caption,

Watch Pulis' final MOTD interview

Tony Pulis said he will "plough on" as the West Brom head coach if the club's board "want him to" after his side suffered a 4-0 thrashing by Chelsea.

Eden Hazard scored twice with further goals from Alvaro Morata and Marcos Alonso as Chelsea won at The Hawthorns.

The result means Albion have not won in 10 Premier League games and are one place above the relegation zone.

"I am a realist, and I understand the game as well as anybody," Pulis, 59, told BBC Radio 5 live.

"I have had a really poor run of results - I think the last time was 2005 when I was at Stoke, which is 13 years ago. Obviously I was hoping to change that but it hasn't happened. So you move on, you move on, you move on until you're otherwise told."

Pulis' contrasting fortunes at West Brom

Time

P

W

D

L

F

A

Win ratio

January 2015 to May 2017

94

29

27

38

96

121

30.9%

August 2017 to present

12

2

4

6

9

18

16.7%

Premier League games only

Pulis, who has also managed in the Premier League with Stoke and Crystal Palace, was appointed Baggies boss in January 2015.

He guided them from 17th when he took over to 13th in 2014-15, 14th a year later and 10th last season - the club's highest finish in four years.

They won their first three matches of this campaign, but have not won since 22 August when they beat League Two Accrington 3-1 in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

Since then, Albion have drawn four times and lost seven and Pulis has admitted he would not be surprised if he was sacked.

"The board of directors will decide what they have to do," Pulis told BBC Sport. "I have been in this position before. It's up to them. I feel for the players. They have worked hard but they have made basic mistakes.

"I spoke to the owners yesterday; they are really decent people. It's not about them, it's about what's best for the football club.

"That is more important than anybody. It's a decision they have to make. I'll keep ploughing along if they want me to do."

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

Tony Pulis has won 36 of his 120 games in charge of West Brom in all competitions

In an interview with 5 live, he was pressed on what was said in a meeting with chairman John Williams after the game.

"[What was said] is between me and him - you've got no business to know that," added Pulis. "You've got no business to know what me and the chairman talk about."

'I would be amazed if he stays in a job' - analysis

BBC Final Score pundits Garth Crooks and Martin Keown thought this could be Pulis' last match in charge of the Baggies.

Crooks said: "Tony Pulis looks a resigned figure on the touchline.

"At the moment, he does not seem to be able to offer anything to his team. The Baggies have been roundly beaten today, while Chelsea have played with a freedom and panache.

"Slaven Bilic cut such a forlorn figure towards the end of his time at West Ham, and that quickened his downfall. The same could be happening here to Pulis. The hatch on the trapdoor is opening.

"It would have been different if they had gone down fighting and lost only 1-0. But the Baggies owners were there watching today. Are they going to give supporters what they want, which would be a new manager?"

Media caption,

West Brom shouldn't fire Pulis - Shearer

Keown added: "I don't think Tony Pulis can survive this. Partly that's down to the brand of football - we are coming towards the end of his time at The Hawthorns.

"This sort of poor West Brom performance is game after game. The Baggies need a shot of creativity right through the club. Are the players being asked to play football by the management?

"This has been a long time coming, and this result and performance today is really going to test the resolve of the owner.

"You never like to see someone lose their job but I'd be amazed if, by the next West Brom game, Tony Pulis is still in the job. It was dire today. There's only one way to go and that is to the Exit door for Pulis."

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