"You're joking" - Ex-Stoke City and West Brom boss Tony Pulis on whether he will come out of retirement | OneFootball

Former West Brom and Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has no plans to come out of retirement.

Tony Pulis has opened up on his managerial future at the age of 66, with the former West Brom and Stoke City boss unlikely to ever take a job again in the dugout.

He is a manager with plenty of EFL experience, as well as Premier League pedigree. Pulis has been a manager for over 30 years, and gained a reputation for his no-nonsense, pragmatic approach to the game, which often focused on defensive solidity and physicality.

Starting his managerial career in 1992 with Bournemouth, he was also renowned for guiding teams away from relegation danger. Pulis managed various clubs, including Gillingham, Bristol City, and Portsmouth, but his stints with Stoke and West Bromwich Albion solidified his reputation in the Premier League.

His career also included spells more latterly at Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough, and Sheffield Wednesday.

Former West Brom and Stoke City boss Tony Pulis to remain retired

Set plays were particularly important in Pulis' career as a manager, with Rory Delap's long throws and Robert Huth's head often a crucial way of his Stoke side winning points to survive in the Premier League among some English footballing giants like Man United, Liverpool, and Chelsea. The Britannia Stadium was a fortress in the 'Barclays' era of Pulis and Stoke.

Pulis was then asked by host Eleanor Oldroyd on BBC Radio 5 Live if he could be tempted out of retirement, especially with set-pieces becoming a trendy football quirk in the top-flight through the likes of Arsenal and Brentford at the moment, which Pulis also provided his thoughts on.

Having last managed Sheffield Wednesday briefly for ten games in 2020, Pulis said: "You're joking aren't you? I live on the south coast and I'm having a great time. Seven grandchildren and I'm spending as much time as I can with them and enjoying myself."

Pulis’ best and most memorable undoubtedly came at Stoke and West Brom. At Stoke, from 2002 to 2005, and later from 2006 to 2013, he turned the club to a Premier League mainstay after winning promotion in 2008. His side was renowned for its physicality and set-piece efficiency.

Pulis guided Stoke to their first FA Cup final in 2011 and secured Europa League qualification as well. After nearly 500 games managed with the Potters, Pulis will be remembered there for generations. That, however, was not his final job in the Premier League.

The former Stoke chief was named as the new Baggies boss in January 2015, as he took over a club that were languishing near the bottom of the top-flight. He quickly helped establish West Brom in mid-table, ensuring Premier League safety multiple times. His defensively organised side reached 10th in 2016/17, which was the club’s best top-flight finish in years.

His tenure was marked by consistency, solidifying his reputation as a reliable survival specialist. Despite doing a solid enough job with Middlesbrough and a disappointing stint with Wednesday, Pulis came at a good time for him, and it will please fans of Stoke and West Brom to hear that he is happy in retirement.