Pulis: We need to buy players to stop stagnating

Joe Williams

Tony Pulis has urged West Brom to capitalise on the opportunity presented by their recent takeover.

It was announced last week that a Chinese group led by investor Guochuan Lai had agreed a deal with former chairman Jeremy Peace to buy the club.

Former Blackburn chairman John Williams has since succeeded Peace, and Pulis has called on him and the Yunyi Guokai (Shanghai) Sports Development Limited group to invest in new players.

Under Peace they had been among the most prudently-run clubs in the Premier League, spending far less than Pulis was used to while manager of Stoke.

On Saturday they were the better team as they won their opening fixture of the season 1-0 at Crystal Palace, but the manager is concerned they have “stagnated” and need to strengthen in the coming weeks.

“The club has had, and still has, a lot of players who have been here for a long time,” said Pulis, whose team won with Salomon Rondon’s second-half header.

“They’ve been fantastic players, fantastic servants, but they need competition, they need people who can play in that team and want to be in that team. That’s what this club needs.

“I’ve been here now 22 months. It’s been one of the things I’ve said – the club has almost stagnated, and it really needs to get on its front foot.

“It’s the only club in the West Midlands this year that’s in the Premier League, (has) fantastic support, and the supporters and everybody around the place – we need a little bit of impetus.

“We’re trying to do business, we need to do business, and we’ll go from there.

“Hopefully we’ll get it in the next two weeks. It’s a big two weeks for me and the football club.”

Palace’s supporters cheered the second-half introduction, as a substitute, of Yannick Bolasie before booing when the final whistle confirmed their 1-0 defeat.

His manager Alan Pardew revealed afterwards that the forward is close to concluding his proposed transfer to Everton.

He insisted, however, that the boos were not aimed at the team that has threatened to start this season in the same disappointing way it finished 2015/16.

“Our fans are frustrated a little bit, because they probably can sense that something’s going to happen to Bolasie, a player who can create a moment for us,” said Pardew, who felt the boos were directed at former Palace manager Pulis.

“I thought that Yala might just create a couple of moments that would unhinge (West Brom) but that didn’t happen.”