Footballers want to show more than how fit they are

Our man inside the game knows why players eventually tire of the Tony Pulis way.

Danny Higginbotham put it quite succinctly when I spoke to him on the phone, “I think it’s a given that players are going to work hard, it’s a pre-requisite of the game and it’s easier than ever to see if players aren’t trying their hardest. But if working hard is all they are ever asked to do, well, that isn’t why most of them wanted to become footballers, is it?” Very true.

When Tony Pulis was sacked by West Brom on Monday morning there would have been a few tears shed in the home changing room. Tears of joy. It is said that during the Welshman’s last match in charge, a 4-0 defeat against Chelsea, a number of players not in the matchday squad whom were watching on from an executive box joined in with the fans that were signing, ‘you don’t know what you’re doing!’