Sorry lads: Stoke boss Tony Pulis apologised to his
players at training on Monday following his weekend bust-up with
striker James Beattie
Tony Pulis apologised to his players on Monday for the
violent outburst that has pushed James Beattie towards the exit
door at Stoke
City.
The club have launched an internal investigation after Sportsmail’s revelations that
Pulis and Beattie came to blows in the wake of Saturday’s 2-0
defeat at Arsenal because
of a row about the players' Christmas party.
But Pulis, who, it is understood, was naked when he attempted to
butt the 31-year-old former England striker, called his players
together before training yesterday and said sorry for his
conduct.
Pulis and Beattie argued after the Stoke manager told his
players they were expected to report for training on Monday.
Beattie responded by reminding Pulis that he had told them they
could extend their Christmas party — in London on Saturday night —
into a two-night affair and report back for training a day
later.
As he was emerging from the showers in the dressing room he
lunged towards Beattie, with the players astonished both by the
violence and the fact that the towel he was wearing had fallen to
the floor.
Acknowledging that Beattie’s comments did not warrant such a
reaction, Pulis apologised to the whole squad — although not for
cutting short their festive celebrations — before overseeing what
was described last night as an excellent training session.
Pulis and Beattie also had words — Beattie reported for training
but, because of a knee injury he has been nursing this season, went
to the gym for a work-out — and, while a truce has been called, it
is unlikely to result in the former Everton forward
staying at The Britannia Stadium beyond the January transfer
window.
Laughing stock: James Beatie leaves Stoke's
training ground after a brief gymnasium work-out
Pulis, sources say, is now intent on off-loading the
player he signed from Sheffield United in January for
£3.5million.
Privately the Stoke manager blames Beattie for the controversy,
feeling that he gave the players no such permission to miss
training on Monday and that Beattie, among a number of senior
players, had been made to look foolish in front of their more
junior colleagues having promised that they would ‘sort it’ and get
the whole weekend off.