Why Stoke City Must Sack Tony Pulis to Save Club's Future

Tony Pulis has done some impressive things with Stoke City, bringing the club back to the Premier League after more than a 20-year absence, and he brought the club European football for the first time in 37 seasons.

Now, however, is a time where Stoke must move on to greener pastures.

Pulis has left his club just three points adrift of the relegation zone with six matches remaining, and regardless of what league they play in next season, it should be with a different manager.

While there are many reasons for Pulis to get the boot, three in particular stick out like Peter Crouch.

He Is an Utter Waste of Good Scouting

Apparently, when Pulis looks through scouting reports of potential players, he only asks two things.

Is he really big? And is he really strong?

Recently, Stoke City's chief scout has vented his frustrations with Pulis and his talent evaluation tactics, saying:

"

I have been told players I've recommended have been too small for Stoke... I have recommended Cheick Tiote, Hatem Ben Arfa, and Demba Ba. Yet they have not been signed by Stoke and they've done well with other clubs.

"

Pulis seemingly ignores incredibly talented players because he doesn't think they'll fit with his style of football, something that will be addressed later.

Thing is, Cheick Tiote would be a fantastic player for Stoke.

A player who's earned his reputation for being a militant midfield enforcer and a hard tackler, Tiote may have been an even better player for Stoke than he is for Newcastle.

And it isn't like Pulis has no money to spend. In recent time he has spent over £20 million combined on strikers Peter Crouch, Kenwyne Jones, and Cameron Jerome.

He clearly could be using his money a tad more wisely.

His Style of Football...

Hoof-ball. Hammer throwing. Anti-football.

Whatever you want to call Tony Pulis' long-ball tactics, two things are important to note: it's the most negative football the Premier League has every seen, and the vast majority of fans, coaches and players utterly despise it.

Pulis makes Sam Allardyce look like Pep Guardiola.

It's not a particularly offensive strategy to say the least. Last season, Stoke scored the least amount of goals in the Premier League, just 36 in 38 games.

And currently in last with just 28 goals this season, the Potters look well on their way to retaining their title.

However, what makes the strategy workable is the emphasis on hard-nosed defense. 

Stoke are consistently among the best in the league at keeping their opponents from scoring. Pulis' defenders have gained a reputation (whether deserved or not) of being dirty and attempting to hurt players, but whatever it is has worked to reasonable effect.

This strategy tends to lead to a great deal of 0-0 and 1-1 draws, and a point is a point. Stoke have managed to comfortably remain in the Premier League throughout Pulis' tenure as a result, at least until now.

He's No Longer Getting Results

Stoke City have won just one of their last 13 Premier League fixtures. They've fallen to 15th place, three points away from 18th and the unthinkable.

This is the greatest relegation threat to the Potters since Pulis brought them into the Premier League, and there aren't too many adjustments Pulis or anyone else can make to the squad that he's handpicked for the long ball.

Tony's made his bed, and now he has to lie in it.

Four of Stoke's last six matches are potentially winnable (against QPR, Norwich, Sunderland and Southampton) so the odds are in the club's favor, but winning involves scoring, something they have struggled heavily to do.

Going forward, Pulis has defended his style of play at the same time as admitting he has already begun to change things.

The best way for Stoke to change things would be to find a new manager.