Tony Pulis: My fears over threats to managers from abusive fans

Tony Pulis: We've got to be careful managers 'don't get attacked'

By Dan Roan
BBC sports editor

Former Stoke City boss Tony Pulis fears a manager could be physically assaulted if the abuse they are subject to is not addressed.

The veteran coach called for more to be done to protect those in the dugout, warning: "We've got to be careful [they] don't get attacked".

Speaking to BBC podcast The Sports Desk, Pulis said the media as well as social media had "created a monster".

He said criticism by some pundits and fans had "gone too far".

Pulis also said some pundits in the media "go over the top for their own benefit" and had contributed to the issue with some of their "stupid" and "nasty" criticism of managers.

Richard Bevan, the chief executive of the League Managers' Association, added: "The scale of the challenge is enormous.

"The personal abuse is something that really needs to be addressed.

Fears for verbal abuse becoming physical

Welshman Pulis, 63, has managed 10 teams across the top four divisions in England in a 29-year managerial career.

His last job saw him sacked at Sheffield Wednesday in December 2020 after just 10 matches in charge with the club next to bottom of the Championship.

Pulis' message comes in the wake of Nuno Espirito Santo's sacking by Spurs after fans booed him during the club's 3-0 home defeat by Manchester United.

Earlier this season, Santo had to abandon a post-match interview following a loss to Arsenal amid jeers and abuse from supporters.

Steve Bruce has hinted he may retire because of the abuse he suffered before being sacked by Newcastle, and the toll it had taken on the 60-year-old and his family.

Earlier this year, Bruce said he had received "vile" online death threats - and Pulis believes the treatment of managers is now out of hand.

"I do think that the way we're going, I think there's got to be a red light somewhere," he said.

"Someone's got to say 'stop, that's enough'. We're getting very close to that point.

"That professional criticism, I think you have to accept, never mind how hard it is or how tough it is.

"You do worry that some idiot somewhere might, in the wrong place at the wrong time, do something that could endanger a manager.

"There's got to be some way of being able to control this in a way that if they step over the line, you can actually take them to task, because you never want a situation where it gets to a point where there could be physical, not just verbal abuse."

Getty Images

Steve Bruce's son Alex said his father had been shown an 'unbelievable' lack of respect by pundits and fans while at Newcastle

'Pundits go over the top'

Pulis said some pundits in the media had contributed to the issue with some of their criticism of managers.

"I think some ex-players and ex-managers go over the top for their own benefit, to up their profile, to be controversial and outspoken. They say stupid things, they say nasty things," he added.

"There's other people and I know they'll be constructive with their criticism.

"The phone-ins after games… some of the people haven't even been to the games and get on the radio and they abuse managers. The world's changing, there's no middle ground anymore.

"There doesn't seem [to be] that coming together, the media that surrounds our industry has done exactly that. They've moved to an area where you think 'now that's gone too far'."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta warned that prospective football coaches are being put off the profession by the level of vitriol surrounding the job.

And Pulis, who began his playing career in 1975 with Bristol Rovers before moving into management with Bournemouth 17 years later, added: "I think the biggest thing for young managers today is to manage themselves away from all the abuse or stick they could get."

'In danger of taking the game backwards'

LMA chief Bevan told The Sports Desk podcast his organisation was in talks with stakeholders about the abuse directed at his members while in the technical area, and admitted there were "significant issues".

He added: "We're debating at the moment the discussions that take place on radio stations about betting on 'the sack race', and the impact that has, not just actually on the managers and the coaching staff, but the families.

"The level of abuse and extreme criticism has always been a constant concern, but I think social media in particular provided that additional platform for a very hostile environment at times - not just for managers, but players, referees.

"This culture is in danger of taking the game backwards."

Bevan said the vast sums some managers earned was no excuse for the treatment they received.

"Linking this issue to someone's earnings needs to be taken out of the debate… decouple a person's wealth, or lack of wealth, from the effect of stress of these issues in their lives," he said. "Stress is an inevitable consequence for all of the managers.

"Abusers need to be punished. If we take owners and clubs, not leaving their [managers] in isolation and making sure that social media companies are quicker in their action of any form of abuse; how media and broadcasters deal with personal attacks on the managers, their competency and personality.

"From an LMA perspective, [we have] many people who work on helping coaches and managers develop the tools to cope, to survive…and we have a network of mentors so that the managers don't have to do it on their own. So they can talk through how to how to manage through very difficult times."

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