Coates: The work has only just begun

Stoke City Chairman, Peter Coates has come out in public support of Tony Pulis and urged supporters to have patience and get behind the manager and his team.

Pulis has come under fire ever since he returned to the Britannia in the summer, mainly from fans who were glad to see the back of him last time and never wanted him to return.

Other fans had hoped that Pulis would be given time to settle back in, but the sniping has continued and the recent run of form with only one win under our belts so far this season has not helped his cause.

The new club chairman has now weighed in with a lengthy interview in the Sentinel in which he, predictably, gives his full support to the manager.

Coates said that now was not the time for criticism: 'We have just started out on the road to what we, as a team, want to achieve.' and feels that TP will not be concerned at any opposition, 'He's a pretty tough customer and one who can look after himself.'

No one can argue that Stoke's financial plight was dire when Coates took over at the end of last season and that the £10m he has put into the club to stabilise the finances is worthwhile, but time will tell whether his choice of manager will stand the test of time. But Coates certainly feels that the journey down the path to promotion has only just started.

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