The thing about Tony Pulis banter is that he might not be joking. James Beattie probably thought his manager was just having a laugh before he headbutted him naked in the shower.
Due to his heroics against Wales on Monday night, the Welshman manager quipped that James McClean might not see much first-team football under him anymore.
Scoring that goal against Wales on Monday night, the one which put Ireland into the World Cup playoffs and killed any chances Chris Coleman's side had of going to Russia, is a risk McClean would undoubtedly take again.
Pulis told the Daily Star that when McClean passed him in the corridor, he had a considerable smirk on his face.
I just ignored him walking down the corridor. He said ‘good morning’ with the biggest grin I’ve ever seen in my life. He won’t be playing for me again after what he’s done to Wales! To be fair, I’m pleased for him because he’s done brilliantly for me.
There’s a bit of banter going around the place as you would imagine and the manager is taking a fair bit of stick as you can also imagine.
McClean scored four times for Ireland during the World Cup qualifying group stage. Pulis said that the 28-year-old has probably played better for Ireland than he has for his club, 'but that sometimes happens'.
I think we paid £500,000 for him and I don’t think anyone would say James has been anything but brilliant.
James is a smashing lad, great round the place. Everyone has respect for him. He’s 100 per cent week in week out. People don’t know James McClean just like people don’t know Tony Pulis. It’s just perception most of the time. You can only speak as you find him. The players in the dressing room all like him and I’ve got a lot of respect for him and his family.
