Tony Pulis exclusive: why Manchester United are proving Jose Mourinho right, his true feelings about Pep Guardiola and his influence on English football, and what makes this the year that Stoke City can return to the Premier League

Tony Pulis has questioned the character of the Manchester United dressing room for their struggles under Ruben Amorin in an exclusive interview with CoinPoker.

Speaking after another turbulent start to the season for United, the former Premier League manager also gave his honest view on Pep Guardiola and the impact that the Spaniard has had on English football.

In a wide-ranging interview, Pulis also backed Stoke City to return to the English topflight and expanded on how long throws can be a real weapon for Thomas Tuchel and England at the World Cup next summer.

Read the full interview below.

Q: Which three teams are you backing for promotion to the Premier League?

“I’m backing Stoke, West Brom, and Middlesbrough for promotion. If those three go up, there’ll be quite a celebration!

“My loyalty to those clubs runs deep. I’ve managed all three and had special, wonderful times there, meeting wonderful people. My wife, Deb, even pointed out the other day how high up in the table they all are. It’s truly brilliant to see. But, yes, my prediction is definitely coming more from my heart than my head right now.”

Q: Which other teams could be in the mix?

“It looks as though it’s going to be an open league again. Obviously, Ipswich haven’t started yet, but I expect them to come through and have a strong season. Birmingham are going to have a strong season. I know Leicester and Southampton again, they’ll be up there and up and about. So, will Coventry obviously, Frank Lampard has started well.

“It looks as though it’s going to be one of those leagues again. You’re not going to be able to make many predictions.”

Q: How surprised are you to see Sheffield United struggling?

“Personally, I think Chris Wilder is a good manager and knows what he’s doing. He didn’t have the greatest time at Middlesbrough, but when he went back to Sheffield United, it seemed to be such a good fit. 

“To be honest, he didn’t deserve to lose the final, but it happens. For them to then part ways, I found it very difficult to accept as a former manager. So, yes, I was very surprised. 

“I think they will pick up because they have good players and a good squad. As I always say, I don’t think anything really settles down firmly until after or around 15 games. 

“After 15 games, you have a good idea of who’s going to be in and around the top and bottom areas of the league.”

Q: Will Ipswich start flying up the table?

“Yes, I think so. They’ve got the players there. Liam Delap, obviously, is a massive miss for them. But they’ve got players who can score goals. 

“The manager’s done it before, he knows what to expect week in, week out. That experience will guide him through difficult times. But yes, I expect them to be one of the frontrunners, I have to say.”

Q: How impressed have you been with Rob Edwards at Middlesbrough?

“Middlesbrough, they’ve had a fantastic start. I think it was important too. The club and Steve Gibson have always backed their managers. With Michael Carrick leaving, who was still a big favourite with quite a few supporters, I think Rob coming in and having that good start will help him and the football club settle down.

“I’m sure they have enough players, without question or doubt, to have a good season. Whether they’re good enough to finish in the top two or whatever, we’ll have to wait and see. 

“If they get it going again, it’s another club that, with momentum, can push on and have a really, really good season. And having the start that they’ve had obviously helps enormously.”

Q: How much have Stoke City impressed you this season?

“I’m hoping and praying that Stoke City have a great season. If they can finish in the top 10 this year, I think that would be a real, real big improvement on what’s been going on over the past seven or eight years at the football club. 

“They have a manager who’s steady. He’s never flustered. He knows the league, he knows the game and I think he’s got a couple of good young coaches with him. 

“With that balance and with Jon Walters in there, Jon obviously knows the club back to front. You’ve got the enormous backing of the Coates family. Peter’s son is now running the club. So everything is in place. 

“What they mustn’t do, they mustn’t get impatient. I think it’s a time really of clearing everything out and starting again. I think Mark has done that. He’s cleared a lot of the players or quite a few players out. 

“I think there’s still a lot of work for him to do. And I’ve spoke to him recently and he sees that, but everybody has to understand that. I know it’s a world now where it’s instant. Everybody wants it now, now, now; they can’t wait. But I think the supporters at Stoke have to be patient.

“They need to realise and recognise that they are moving forward. That’s the biggest thing. They’ve stopped the club from going backwards, Mark’s turned it round, it’s starting to go forward. I’m hoping they have a really, really good season. 

“If they nick in the top six, it’d be absolutely fantastic. For a top-10 finish, if they do that, for me, that would be unbelievable success this year for them.”

Q: Do Coventry City need to be better at the back to ensure a promotion charge?

“Frank Lampard has had the opportunity to work at the top level. He’s had one or two hiccups, but this seems to have reinvigorated him and given him the chance to show that he can manage successfully. It’s a great experience for him. 

“I’ve only met him a few times, but he seems a very level-headed person.

“He won’t be getting too carried away. He’ll understand, having done it last year, how difficult this league is. If you don’t turn up every week in the Championship, you’re going to get a shock. 

“I’ve talked about the Premier League and the promoted clubs – they can get beat away from home and that can be accepted. But when they go home, they’ve got to be right on it. In the Championship, home and away, you’ve got to turn up.

“The top three will be looking for 90 points, I should imagine, or whatever. You’ve got to get those points home and away. It’s not a case of playing well at home and not being on it away from home. 

“You’ve really got to be focused that your team has to turn up and has a chance to win away from home as well as at home. I’m sure Frank will have that ingrained in the players.”

Q: Can Portsmouth really push on this season under John Mousinho?

“John’s done a great job there. They had quite a difficult start last year and then picked up on results. I watched them at the back end of the season a couple of times, and they were very good. They were very front foot and very well organised. 

“They’ve had a good start again, like you say, this year. It’s just keeping it going. I think the big thing there is to get established in the Championship and then push on from there.

“There’s nothing stopping them from having a really, really good season again. Massive game this weekend, mind. Massive game. They’ll be looking forward to that. Again, I spent, what was it, seven months there. The support was unbelievable. 

“They’re so passionate. It’s frightening. The one thing I can say about Portsmouth, players don’t have to worry about the supporters. They turn up every week. You know what I mean? 

“They turn up and they make an atmosphere that is really traditional there. It’s a fantastic football club and the supporters are amazing, really.”

Q: Can Birmingham City make a real push for automatic promotion?

“Well, I think the Americans, the owners, will be wanting to push on. They’ve spent good money. Craig Gardner is a good friend, he was my player at West Brom, and I took him on for a coaching job as well. 

“He’s a sensible lad, Craig, and I think he’s done a great job in steadying everything down behind the scenes. I think he does a wonderful job doing that. There’s a real good connection between him and the manager and him and the directors. 

“They’ve got that glue in between that keeps everything together, and that’s important over a season. Yeah, I think they’ve signed some good players. It’s a step up again, and every week it’ll be that you’ve got to turn up. That’s interesting. 

“That’s one I’ve really got my eye on. That’s an interesting one in respect of the players they’ve brought in, the manager will have to adapt to the Championship. It’s really interesting times there. 

“Again, I think they’ve sold out every week, so, you know, the atmosphere at St. Andrew’s again is going to be absolutely rocking, and the supporters have to understand again. 

“I keep saying this, when you go to a football game, and most of the supporters are brilliant, get behind your team. You don’t realise how important you are to that team. And that team is representing you, and it’s representing the city and everything around that town.”

Q: Could this be a really up and down season for Wrexham?

“Wrexham won’t struggle, they’ve got enough. Phil Parkinson has done a fantastic job there. They certainly have enough to compete, though I’m not sure if they’ll be in the top six this season. 

“He’s made some good signings. If they can get the momentum they’ve had year after year and bring it into this league again, it’s an unbelievable and difficult ground to visit. Phil knows the league, having played in it himself, so he understands what’s coming. 

“He’ll have it all planned out. It’s just about momentum. If they can pick up results home and away and gain self-belief and confidence, that’s one of the big things after promotion. Players will be wary of whether they’re good enough. 

“They’ll be going into different, bigger grounds with a different atmosphere. It’s about having that self-belief and confidence, and there’s nothing better for that than winning games.”

Q: Would Dele Alli be a good fit at Wrexham on a free transfer?

“Well, Dele Alli, who was at Tottenham 10 years ago, was exceptional. I can remember managing against Tottenham when Pochettino was manager and I was at West Brom, and he and Harry Kane were a real handful. He’s just fallen off a cliff in terms of performances.

“He’s really had a bad time. As you say, at 29 years of age, he should be reaching his peak now. But he’s had opportunities and he’s not taken them. There are question marks over whoever takes him, and I’m sure someone will take a gamble on him. 

“This will most probably be his last chance, especially if he comes back to England. So, yeah, he needs a manager who will understand his situation off the field as well as on the field. But if they can get him going, he certainly was a very, very good player.”

Q: What needs to change to get Derby County back on track?

“I speak to John Eustace quite regularly, and they’ve had a horrendous run of injuries. I think he had six or seven players in the first couple of weeks of the season who weren’t able to be selected. I think they went to Ipswich last week, and the referee played until Ipswich scored. “And then it was like a five-a-side game on a Friday. What was it? 16 minutes of injury time. Is that absolutely ridiculous?

“They apparently did really, really well and were really unfortunate not to get the three points there. So that will be a big pick-me-up. They’ve had a real tough start as well, of course, and it’s been difficult. They’ve played some top sides along the way. 

“John will be alright. He knows what he’s doing. He’s a very, very level-headed, sensible lad. I think he’s brought some good players in. They’re all now just about coming back to fitness, so I expect Derby to settle down and start picking up results.”

Q: How impressed have you been with Cardiff City in League One so far?

“It was really disappointing that they got relegated last year. I think they’ve put some younger players into the team who have done really well. I watched them the other night, Wimbledon and they played really, really well. They’re playing football through the pitch, creating opportunities and chances. 

“Fingers crossed, a little bit like Birmingham, they most probably needed to take that step back to really clear everything and start again, and then build up. If they can keep it going and get promoted, then again, they’ll have momentum with them and it’s a fresh start. 

“Who knows, they could have a great season in the Championship. But they’ve got to sort this league out first and make sure they finish in the top and get promoted.”

Q: Could Cardiff City be in a battle with Huddersfield this season?

“I think again, if you look at the squad and you look at the depth of the squad, they’ve got enough there to go and win games home and away and score goals. So I expect them to be one of the top six or seven clubs.

“For Lee Grant, I was told very directly when I was helping Harry Redknapp as manager at Bournemouth by a lad who was the kit man, he was everything. 

“John Kirk, he was a wonderful man. Physio, kit man, John did everything. And he said to me one day, you know, we just lost and Harry was a little bit down. 

“And I said, “Oh, we got to try and pick him up.” And he said, “Don’t. I’m telling you now, you will not know what management is like until you actually manage yourself.” 

“And those words have always resonated with me as I went on to become a manager and then found out what it is really like when the pressure’s on.”

Q: Can Bristol Rovers bounce back from a tricky start to the season?

“Bristol Rovers is one of those clubs. I had my apprenticeship there and my early years playing and everything else. Bobby Gould brought me back there, and I played and coached with Bob. I just loved Rovers. 

“I thought it was a fantastic football club. It was a great football club for young players. There were great people there who believed in youth. If you have a look at the players that came through that club at that time, you know, Gary Mabbutt, Ian Holloway, people like that who played in the Premier League, you know, it was a fantastic place to be, and I learned and have stuck to a lot of the principles that club was renowned for. 

“I just hope, you know, they get it right because it’d be really nice to have two successful clubs in that city. It’s a big city, it’s a very, very good city. Obviously, Bristol City have done really, really well and look as though they can have another good season in the Championship. It would be just lovely to get Rovers up there and doing well as well.”

Q: What have you made of England and Thomas Tuchel using long throws?

“The thing about it is that if you’ve got someone who could throw the ball like Rory Delap, where it was so flat and you’ve got people in the penalty box who want to jump and hit a ball and score, then use it. Why not use it? 

“If you’ve got someone who can’t throw it to the edge of the box, then you don’t use it. If you’ve got the tools in the bag, use them. If they’re effective, use them. People talk about long balls.

“I think Liverpool, under Klopp, the year he won the league, they played more long balls than any other team in the Premier League. That was Liverpool. 

“They played all their football up in the final third, but they started off, you know, the number of times Virgil van Dijk got it out of his feet and smashed it over to Mohamed Salah. Get the stats on that. If it’s there, play it. If it’s effective, play it.

“If you’re Man City and you’ve got great players who can handle the ball in every situation, in every patch of the football field, then brilliant, play that way because that’s your strengths and that’s what the players have got. 

“But as I’ve said to you many times on this programme, I’ll keep telling you, play to your strengths because as a manager, it’s all about getting your team to win. If the team doesn’t win, you ain’t going to be a manager very long.”

Q: Can long throws help England towards World Cup glory?

“Yeah, of course it can. If he had Rory Delap playing for England and he was good enough to play for England, and you’re playing against Brazil or whoever, you know, they don’t play the top teams in England anymore. 

“But you play teams like Andorra, they’ve played them eight times in the last few years. Yeah, absolutely fantastic. 

“But you know, you get the ball. If that ball can be delivered, and like I say, you’ve got people who want to head it, why not use it? You know, it’s…

“All this jargon and all this stuff that people talk about and complicate the game in lots and lots of ways, it’s just common sense. 

“You’d use it if you haven’t got it. You do other things to win games.”

Q: When did you learn that Rory Delap could throw so well?

“I didn’t know. He’d never shown us before. The players were having a competition to see who could throw it the furthest. Kemp, my assistant, came over and said to me, “Have you seen Rory throw the ball?” And I said no. 

“Then I went and saw it. He was a champion javelin thrower when he was growing up in Carlisle. He never said a word, never mentioned it to us. As soon as we’d seen it, we thought, “Yeah, this is a great weapon.”

“Because it was so flat, we had people who wanted to attack the ball, and we had people who wanted to win headers in the opponent’s box. And it was, as I’ve just said, you know, they’re the tools. They’re in your box, why not use them?”

Q: When did you think of giving the ball boys towels to dry them for Delap?

“Well, I don’t think I was the first one to do it, but we certainly did it. I think we’d seen it somewhere else; I can’t remember where it was. And we thought, ‘Yeah, we’d use that.’ And then they got banned. 

“I think Arsene Wenger had moaned about the grass being too long, the pitch being too small, the towels around the side of the pitches. So they were all banned. 

“You know, we got around it. We were nice and smart and got around those things.”

Q: When Pep Guardiola leaves English football, will his tactics also leave?

“Football is like fashion, it goes in cycles. I remember Dave Kemp, my former assistant, was going to throw out all his suits, but I told him to keep them because bell-bottoms always come back into style. And now they are! Football is exactly the same.

“I think it all comes down to the players you have. Pep Guardiola has been one of the most outstanding foreign managers this country has ever seen. People will say he’s had the best players, but they’ve played some unbelievable football. 

“He definitely changed the dynamics of most football clubs in terms of how they set up and how they were expected to play. The press and media, obviously being behind what Pep was doing because they were winning, helped fuel that. 

“But I think a lot of people now recognise that if you haven’t got the players to do what Pep does, then you have to simplify it. 

“As a person, I have tremendous respect for him. And as a manager, what he’s achieved in this country, in Spain, and in Germany, makes him one of the greats.”

Q: Would you back yourself to impress with the budget of Ruben Amorim?

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Manchester United have signed similar types of players – Jadon Sancho, Antony, and others. They are all very gifted footballers. 

“However, if you look at successful teams like Liverpool, Manchester City, and even Manchester United in their glory days, they had truly top players – like David Beckham for United. 

“But everything they did was based on hard work and working for the team. They had a cohesive unit.

“When I watch Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United, they have some wonderfully gifted players, but they never work up and down the pitch together. There are always big spaces between the forwards, midfielders, and the back line. 

“They are good players with the ball, but great teams, which people sometimes don’t recognise, are very compact. They work extremely hard together to get up and down the pitch, defending when they don’t have the ball and playing when they do.

“I just think Manchester United have signed technically very good players, but I question their character. Are there real winners in the group who can bring everything together? 

“I don’t like criticising managers because it might not be their fault, it could be the director of football or recruitment people who brought these players in, and the manager then has to get on with it. But personally, I always thought I knew my standing, the club I was working for, and what I could and couldn’t do.

“One of the big things was always characteristics: Are they good characters? Do they work and work and work to improve themselves and help improve the team? I think that’s been missing at United for a while now, ever since Sir Alex. Mourinho even mentioned it, I think. 

“If you look at Jose Mourinho’s comments when they finished second with him one year, he said that was his greatest achievement. He didn’t say that for nothing. Without going into depth, it was probably due to the fact that the team had moved away from being the hardest working team, not just the best.”

Q: Is this still Arsenal’s golden chance to win the Premier League?

“I actually think this year is probably their best opportunity, their best chance of winning the league. And I think the players they’ve got are quite shrewd. Mikel Arteta, I would say, really needs to step over that mark now and win something just to keep everyone happy. 

“But I think he’s gradually understood what’s needed. Them and Liverpool are the two, I think, who will be contending for that top spot.”

Q: Do the links between Frank Lampard and West Ham make sense?

“Graham Potter’s manager of West Ham and he’s still manager to this day, so we shouldn’t be talking about his job. His job is there and it’s safe at the moment, and Frank’s doing a great job at Coventry.

“He’s done a great job. Graham needs time to settle. It’s difficult, David Moyes got hammered and what a great job he did there, it’s not an easy club to manage. 

“Big club, everywhere I go I bump into West Ham supporters, I think I bump into more West Ham supporters than any other supporters up and down the country. 

“So the dynamics there are difficult for a manager. But Frank played there, came through the system there, so he would know it. Graham just needs time. 

“I think, give him the opportunity, give him the chance. As I’ve said on this program before, it’s gone crazy… getting sacked after what, three games, four games? 

“When I started, it was like, you know, a three-year contract, one year to see what you’ve got, the second year to change it, and the third year to be successful. 

“Now you’re talking three games, four games. It’s absolutely crazy, but it’s the world that we live in and you have to get on with it.”

Q: How do you expect Ange Postecoglou to get on at Nottingham Forest?

“If you look at what Ange did at Tottenham, where did they finish in the league? Tottenham finished 17th. So, over a season, will he go in and change his tactics a little bit based on what happened at Tottenham? They won the Europa League, which kept everybody happy. A lot of Tottenham supporters were disappointed that he left in the end.

“So, it’ll be interesting. He’s had that period at Tottenham to assess the league and understand the Premiership, and it’ll be interesting to see if he changes tactics or whether he plays the same way. He seems a very, very intelligent fellow. 

“So, yeah, it’ll be interesting. It’s an interesting watch again. But as I’ve said, I think it’s absolutely crazy. You don’t know what’s going on there. Obviously, Nuno wasn’t happy with certain things that were going on. When that’s the case, it’s best to call it a day.”

Q: What do you make of Wales’ chances for the World Cup?

“I think they’ve done absolutely fantastic. Craig Bellamy has done a great job in getting everybody together. There’s a lot of good young players playing in that team at the moment and they’ve got confidence. 

“He’s a very, very infectious person and can generate that needed spirit. Obviously, the big game is against Belgium in a month or two. That’s a big game.

“I think he’d be looking forward to the England friendly match at Wembley as well. Being a Welshman, it’s good to see the football doing so well while the rugby is doing so bad.

“I love my rugby and my football, so if we could just balance it off and get the two doing well together, I’d be absolutely delighted. But no, he’s doing a great job.”

Q: Can you see England’s route to winning the World Cup?

“I wouldn’t write off the South American teams. Given the tournament will be held in Mexico, the USA, and Canada, I think South American teams will be difficult to beat on what is almost their home territory. 

“Germany seems to have hit a dip, but they are usually rock solid and always do well in competitions, so I wouldn’t write them off. You also have the big European countries, and England will be part of that.

“I do think the South American countries will be a force, obviously, because it’s on their patch or close to their patch. The usual European countries will also be strong.

“We just hope England, Wales, and Scotland go over there and do really well. Millions of people will travel over, and it’ll be a great time.”

Q: Could anything tempt you back into management?

“No, I’m comfortable doing what I’m doing. I’ve got a lovely home. I live on the South Coast and I want to enjoy it. I’ve got seven grandchildren, who are all very sporty. So, I’m out this afternoon watching Luca play. If I’m not watching him, I’m watching Nico or Jake. Then we go to America, where we have two beautiful grandchildren, and I love spending time with them there.

“It’s a good time. Of course, I get managers ringing me all the time to ask certain things, and people who’ve worked for me are now in management. I try and do my best for them and I always will. But it’s lovely sitting back and watching. Like I say, I managed 10 clubs, and I’m always looking for their results and seeing what’s happening.

“Living in a town like Bournemouth, sometimes I’ll go over and watch the games, and I’ll take my little one. So, I do what I want to do when I want to do it, instead of being wrapped up away from home in some small place, worrying about the result on a Saturday or a Tuesday night. I’m quite content.”

Q: Could you get Roy Keane on your podcast with Mick McCarthy?

“Well, one thing I’m not going to do is get in between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy. So if you want to do that, try and organize it all the best!

“It’s a podcast of common sense. We had Stuart Pearce on there, absolutely fantastic. Some of the stories he told and some of the basic things that supporters most probably don’t get a lot of is the manager’s view, and being open and honest about their periods and their times in the game. And Stuart told some great stories. 

“He’s a legend for England and it’s interesting listening to his views on management. He’s worked with some really, really top managers and obviously played with some top players as well. But we’re looking to get managers from the lower leagues as well, bring them in. 

“We don’t want to just go big time all the time in respect of looking for Pep or Jose, do we? We want to bring managers just starting off.

“So we want to talk to people who know, football people who are ingrained and love the game and have spent a lot of time in the game and their experiences, and try and get it over to the listeners with a few funny anecdotes as well about things. 

“So yeah, it’s been interesting. Mick’s a good lad. So we get on, you know, we’ve gotten on well over the past 30 odd years managing and playing and all that stuff. It’s a good balance.”

Q: Will you be tuning in to see Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on Strictly?

“I’ve seen many players who could get on there, but I won’t mention them. However, it’s going to be fascinating to see Jimmy do it. I’ve met Jimmy a few times and find him interesting. 

“He’s a great lad, a great character, and a lovely man. I’m sure my wife will be watching and I’ll get her to vote for Jimmy, whatever happens.”

Q: Have you ever been invited on a reality show?

“Never! You won’t get me out of my comfort zone. I did Uber Eats adverts, but that was out of my comfort zone. When I turned up you’ve got all these cameras and everything else, and you’ve got to read your lines and you’ve got to do this and you’ve got to do that. 

“Luckily, luckily, Sam was there and Alan, so we had a real good giggle for like, what was it, three or four days? It was fantastic fun. But that was out of my comfort zone. 

“Initially I was like, ‘My God, what have I put myself in for?’ But I enjoyed it. It was good. And I have to say, and I really do mean this, the people who work for Uber Eats, everybody, from the girl, from the makeup, all the way through to the producer, were just fantastic. 

“I’ve never worked with such a professional, well-organized group of people. They were unbelievably professional, which I enjoy.”

Q: Did you ever cross paths with celebrities in the dressing room?

“We had Sugar Ray Leonard and Mike Tyson visit us at Stoke. Tyson had a heavy gold chain around his neck that I don’t think I could’ve lifted. Jeff Banks is an absolute legend, one of the best storytellers I’ve ever known. I could sit and listen to his stories for hours. 

“He was a fabulous, first-class man with great stories. When you meet people with different careers and outlooks on life, they are fascinating to talk to. It’s brilliant.

“Could Mike Tyson be a football club owner? Not at all. We’ve been very fortunate to meet people we never would have dreamed of in this industry.”

Q: Would you back James McClean in a charity boxing match against Luis Suarez?

“James McClean vs Luis Suarez? I would never bet against James McClean. Like I say, I watched James sparring and he just blew me away. He is as tough as old boots as well. 

“For all he does and doesn’t do and the amount of stick he takes, I had great respect for the boy. He’s a really, really top lad. As long as I’m not in the ring with him, yeah, go ahead.”