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Season shape-up - Stoke
We look at how sides are gearing up for the new campaign
Last updated: 21st July 2008
Stoke Betting
Who will stay in the Premier League ? - Stoke 7/4 - Hull 7/4 - West Brom 5/6
New Customers Bet £10, Get £40 Free
Pulis: Quiet summer
STOKE TRANSFER ACTIVITY
Ins: None
Outs: Robbie Garrett (released), Marlon Broomes (Blackpool - free), Russell Hoult (Notts County - free)
Related links
News
Barely a penny has been staked on Stoke avoiding the drop this season and it's little wonder after a worryingly quiet start to the summer. Mark Holmes takes a look at just how tough their task will be.
What's happened so far
Until Friday afternoon, not a lot. Plenty of players had been linked, ranging from the 'please don't happen' (Sun Jihai, Rob Hulse) to the 'never gonna happen' (Ivan Klasnic, Diego Milito), but Tony Pulis had not tied down a single player.
However the Potters then got their spending underway with the club-record capture of Reading striker Dave Kitson for £5.5million. That dwarfed their previous highest figure of £1.4million paid for Leon Cort last season, and City fans will be hopeful that is the start of a things to come.
Jamaica international Rudolph Austin has also signed subject to a work permit but he was prevented from making his debut in the club's pre-season friendly at Newcastle Town on Friday night so there wasn't a single new face on show at Lyme Valley.
Pulis has promised a lot more big-name arrivals before the season kick-off but just who is anyone's guess as the Welshman has typically kept his list of targets close to his chest - frustrating for fans and journalists alike.
Marton Fulop and Anthony Gardner are highly likely to move to the Britannia this summer, though, while the likes of Danny Higginbotham, Jon Walters and Hayden Mullis are among the realistic targets that also appear to be on City's shopping list.
While the arrivals door has been slow to open, Potters fans at least console themselves that the exit is yet to fling open.
Relegation rivals West Brom have arguably lost their two best players from last season but Pulis has managed to keep his squad intact, with reserve teamers Russell Hoult, Robbie Garrett and Marlon Broomes the only players released. Even Dominic Matteo - last season's club captain - may stay on in some capacity after returning to training with the rest of the squad.
What they need
Where to start? There is no doubting that Stoke surpassed expectations in the Championship and even the squad they finished the season with was probably weaker than many of their rivals'.
Pulis used the loan market to full effect to make up for a lack of transfer cash, but the Welshman does not have that luxury this season - Premier League clubs can only lend four players off their rivals per season, and only two at any one time.
The Potters will undoubtedly make the most of that quota but they cannot rely on other teams doing them favours anymore and need to heavily strengthen in each and every area of the field. Ryan Shawcross, Liam Lawrence and Ricardo Fuller will be capable of stepping up but there are question marks over the majority of their current team-mates, particularly in defence and attack.
Their defensive record last season was surprisingly poor and Pulis needs a goalkeeper, full-back and experienced partner for Shawcross - at the very least. Goals actually weren't a problem last term but Fuller's regular partner Mama Sidibe scored just five, and Richard Cresswell - the third highest scorer last season - is unlikely to prosper as a Premier League forward.
The arrival of Kitson will certainly help take the weight off Fuller but a move for another forward could be sensible - long-term target David Nugent is available - as Lawrence is the side's only other player likely of regularly chipping in with goals.
But top of Pulis' priorities should be finding a left winger to supply his new-look frontline as Cresswell surely won't be asked to play there again. The Potters have got good tecnical ability in their midfield in the shape of Lawrence, Glenn Whelan, Salif Diao and Rory Delap but they desperately need to add some genuine pace - none of the above have the speed to regularly skip past opponents.
What they'll get
Pulis will look to the top four - more than likely Manchester United and Liverpool - to loan him some of their latest protégés this season and the success they have will largely determine how Stoke get on in the Premier League.
There will also be some more permanent arrivals, though, and Pulis will continue his habit of searching out those players that have lost their way. He has a handy habit of resurrecting careers and will hope to do the same with the likes of England cap Gardner, should be arrive.
You can also safely bet Pulis won't sign any bad eggs - dressing room spirit played a huge part in promotion last term - and he will build a team based on power, pace and of course hard work, ala Harry Redknapp.
It is tough to know just who will arrive (the list of players linked with the club currently stands at over 60) but the signatures they do eventually gain are likely to include a mixture of top-four youngsters, top-flight veterans and possibly the odd player from France or Africa.
Fan's view - John Paterson
As I write this we have finally made our first signing! The record breaking fee for Kitson, suggests that Pulis and Coates are prepared to pay for quality. However, evidence from TP's teams in the recent past suggest that the final Stoke squad should be greater than the sum of it's parts.
Maybe the other players we sign won't have Kitson's pedigree but every player in the squad will fight to the final whistle and give his all for the cause - we won't do a Derby.
We'll have height and strength right down the middle of the side. We may not have have a 20 goal a season striker but Pulis will compensate for this with goals from midfielders like Lawrence. And of course, we'll have goalscoring centre backs - 16 goals came from that position last season!
Once we were a team which never scored from corners, now the corner, the wide freekick and the long throw are amongst our most potent weapons. Pulis will attempt to recreate a "mean" defence - something which was, surprisingly, missing last season.
Will this approach bring success? Well, we won't have the best squad of the teams in the bottom half by a big margin. But then we didn't have the second best squad in the Championship last season!
However, I fully expect us to be competitive in that mini league of six or seven clubs who will be scrapping to avoid relegation. Like most Stokies, I will regard 17th as a success.
Pulis has never managed a relegation side and my hunch is he will retain that record - just!
a.top_betting_link_1 {background-image: url('/Images/skysports/fixturecal/icons/fix-bet.gif');background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:0% 50%;padding-left:18px;} Prem To Stay Up 2008/09 To Stay Up: Stoke 15/8
We look at how sides are gearing up for the new campaign
Last updated: 21st July 2008
Stoke BettingWho will stay in the Premier League ? - Stoke 7/4 - Hull 7/4 - West Brom 5/6
New Customers Bet £10, Get £40 Free
Pulis: Quiet summerSTOKE TRANSFER ACTIVITY
Ins: None
Outs: Robbie Garrett (released), Marlon Broomes (Blackpool - free), Russell Hoult (Notts County - free)
Related links
News
Barely a penny has been staked on Stoke avoiding the drop this season and it's little wonder after a worryingly quiet start to the summer. Mark Holmes takes a look at just how tough their task will be.
What's happened so far
Until Friday afternoon, not a lot. Plenty of players had been linked, ranging from the 'please don't happen' (Sun Jihai, Rob Hulse) to the 'never gonna happen' (Ivan Klasnic, Diego Milito), but Tony Pulis had not tied down a single player.
However the Potters then got their spending underway with the club-record capture of Reading striker Dave Kitson for £5.5million. That dwarfed their previous highest figure of £1.4million paid for Leon Cort last season, and City fans will be hopeful that is the start of a things to come.
Jamaica international Rudolph Austin has also signed subject to a work permit but he was prevented from making his debut in the club's pre-season friendly at Newcastle Town on Friday night so there wasn't a single new face on show at Lyme Valley.
Pulis has promised a lot more big-name arrivals before the season kick-off but just who is anyone's guess as the Welshman has typically kept his list of targets close to his chest - frustrating for fans and journalists alike.
Marton Fulop and Anthony Gardner are highly likely to move to the Britannia this summer, though, while the likes of Danny Higginbotham, Jon Walters and Hayden Mullis are among the realistic targets that also appear to be on City's shopping list.
While the arrivals door has been slow to open, Potters fans at least console themselves that the exit is yet to fling open.
Relegation rivals West Brom have arguably lost their two best players from last season but Pulis has managed to keep his squad intact, with reserve teamers Russell Hoult, Robbie Garrett and Marlon Broomes the only players released. Even Dominic Matteo - last season's club captain - may stay on in some capacity after returning to training with the rest of the squad.
What they need
Where to start? There is no doubting that Stoke surpassed expectations in the Championship and even the squad they finished the season with was probably weaker than many of their rivals'.
Pulis used the loan market to full effect to make up for a lack of transfer cash, but the Welshman does not have that luxury this season - Premier League clubs can only lend four players off their rivals per season, and only two at any one time.
The Potters will undoubtedly make the most of that quota but they cannot rely on other teams doing them favours anymore and need to heavily strengthen in each and every area of the field. Ryan Shawcross, Liam Lawrence and Ricardo Fuller will be capable of stepping up but there are question marks over the majority of their current team-mates, particularly in defence and attack.
Their defensive record last season was surprisingly poor and Pulis needs a goalkeeper, full-back and experienced partner for Shawcross - at the very least. Goals actually weren't a problem last term but Fuller's regular partner Mama Sidibe scored just five, and Richard Cresswell - the third highest scorer last season - is unlikely to prosper as a Premier League forward.
The arrival of Kitson will certainly help take the weight off Fuller but a move for another forward could be sensible - long-term target David Nugent is available - as Lawrence is the side's only other player likely of regularly chipping in with goals.
But top of Pulis' priorities should be finding a left winger to supply his new-look frontline as Cresswell surely won't be asked to play there again. The Potters have got good tecnical ability in their midfield in the shape of Lawrence, Glenn Whelan, Salif Diao and Rory Delap but they desperately need to add some genuine pace - none of the above have the speed to regularly skip past opponents.
What they'll get
Pulis will look to the top four - more than likely Manchester United and Liverpool - to loan him some of their latest protégés this season and the success they have will largely determine how Stoke get on in the Premier League.
There will also be some more permanent arrivals, though, and Pulis will continue his habit of searching out those players that have lost their way. He has a handy habit of resurrecting careers and will hope to do the same with the likes of England cap Gardner, should be arrive.
You can also safely bet Pulis won't sign any bad eggs - dressing room spirit played a huge part in promotion last term - and he will build a team based on power, pace and of course hard work, ala Harry Redknapp.
It is tough to know just who will arrive (the list of players linked with the club currently stands at over 60) but the signatures they do eventually gain are likely to include a mixture of top-four youngsters, top-flight veterans and possibly the odd player from France or Africa.
Fan's view - John Paterson
As I write this we have finally made our first signing! The record breaking fee for Kitson, suggests that Pulis and Coates are prepared to pay for quality. However, evidence from TP's teams in the recent past suggest that the final Stoke squad should be greater than the sum of it's parts.
Maybe the other players we sign won't have Kitson's pedigree but every player in the squad will fight to the final whistle and give his all for the cause - we won't do a Derby.
We'll have height and strength right down the middle of the side. We may not have have a 20 goal a season striker but Pulis will compensate for this with goals from midfielders like Lawrence. And of course, we'll have goalscoring centre backs - 16 goals came from that position last season!
Once we were a team which never scored from corners, now the corner, the wide freekick and the long throw are amongst our most potent weapons. Pulis will attempt to recreate a "mean" defence - something which was, surprisingly, missing last season.
Will this approach bring success? Well, we won't have the best squad of the teams in the bottom half by a big margin. But then we didn't have the second best squad in the Championship last season!
However, I fully expect us to be competitive in that mini league of six or seven clubs who will be scrapping to avoid relegation. Like most Stokies, I will regard 17th as a success.
Pulis has never managed a relegation side and my hunch is he will retain that record - just!
a.top_betting_link_1 {background-image: url('/Images/skysports/fixturecal/icons/fix-bet.gif');background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:0% 50%;padding-left:18px;} Prem To Stay Up 2008/09 To Stay Up: Stoke 15/8