Pulis fury at Meyler is misguided

There is a lot to admire about Tony Pulis, a serious guy who is focused on his work, who is not interested in being a star, who only changes into a suit for his post-match press conference and then does that conference standing up, the better to make a quick exit.

You get the impression Pulis is disgusted by the media circus surrounding football and laments the erosion of the old-fashioned manly values. When two of his players were pelted with missiles by Besiktas fans during a Europa League tie, Pulis told reporters Stoke would take the matter no further: “We won’t be complaining. We’re Stoke and we don’t complain.”

However there is one subject on which Pulis squeals louder than anybody and that is diving. When Robert Huth was sent off on Saturday for a lunge on David Meyler, Pulis did not shrink from condemnation of the Sunderland player.