Established 1961 15 Sports Tuesday, November 21, 2017 West Brom fires Tony Pulis with team in relegation danger Fifth manager to lose job in Premier League this season WEST BROMWICH: Struggling Premier League team lost patience with Pulis and his pragmatic style of foot- West Bromwich Albion fired manager Tony Pulis yes- ball. A disgruntled section of the support has called for terday despite his reputation as a virtual guarantee his departure in recent games. West Brom came under against relegation. The move seemed inevitable after new ownership last year, with Chinese businessman West Brom’s 4-0 loss at home to Chelsea on Saturday, Guochuan Lai becoming the majority shareholder. Lai which dropped the team to within a point and a place was at the game against Chelsea. of the relegation zone. It left The club from central West Brom with just two England had a net spend of wins in its last 21 league about 30 million pounds games stretching back to ($40 million) last summer last season. and enriched the squad with “We are in a results busi- We are in some trumpeted arrivals like ness,” West Brom chairman Poland midfielder Grzegorz John Williams said, “and a results Krychowiak from Paris over the back end of last Saint-Germain, left back season and this season to business Kieran Gibbs from Arsenal, date, ours have been very and winger Oliver Burke disappointing.” from Leipzig. Assistant coach Gary Pulis had better players Megson will take tempo- and a deeper squad at his rary charge of the team, whose next match is against disposal, but failed to get the most out of them. He Tottenham on Saturday. Pulis, who was in charge for clearly missed Darren Fletcher, the club captain who nearly three years, has never been relegated in 25 surprisingly left in the offseason to join Stoke. Dovetail years and more than 1,000 league games in soccer that with continued criticism of his approach - direct, management. risk-averse - and it was no surprise there were calls for Only 12 of 38 rounds have been played in the change. LONDON: In this file photo dated Monday, Dec. 26, 2016, West Brom’s manager Tony Pulis gestures during the Premier League, so there was still plenty of time for West Brom has scored just nine goals in 12 games English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates stadium in Pulis to turn things around. Yet there was no sign of this season. Pulis is the fifth manager to lose his job in London. — AP West Brom’s form improving and the club’s fans had the Premier League this season. — AP Benzema the fall guy as Real Focused Coutinho Madrid flounder heals Liverpool rifts MADRID: In a recurring theme of Real Madrid’s stuttering LONDON: Philippe Coutinho’s long-term future might season, Zinedine Zidane protested all his side lacked was a lie away from Liverpool, but the Brazil star’s ability to goal as they fell 10 points behind La Liga leaders focus on the present has helped heal the wounds from Barcelona after firing more blanks in a bad-tempered his flirtation with Barcelona. When Jurgen Klopp’s side Madrid derby. Yet, in attempting to defend a lacklustre travel to Sevilla for a crucial Champions League clash performance from Saturday’s stalemate at Atletico Madrid, today, they will rely on Coutinho to lead their bid to Zidane turned the spotlight once more on the misfiring get the win that would book their place in the last 16. Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. For Coutinho to be at the centre of Liverpool’s sea- Ronaldo’s run of one goal in eight La Liga games has son is a testament to the peace-making skills of Klopp attracted more attention because it is so out of character and the forward’s refusal to let his failed attempt to for a man who has plundered 414 goals in 408 games as force a move to Barcelona make him public enemy Madrid’s all-time top scorer. number one on Merseyside. The World Player of the Year has also bagged six goals Just two months ago, Coutinho’s relationship with in four Champions League games to compensate for a his club and their fans was badly frayed after he hand- slow La Liga start. Benzema, by contrast, has just two ed in a transfer request while Barca tried to convince goals in nearly 1,000 minutes on the field this season in all Liverpool to sell their prize asset with bids rising to competitions and patience with the Frenchman is wearing over £100 million ($132 million). thin. Madrid-based sports daily Marca described the Liverpool’s American owners were adamant repeated presence of Spanish wonderkid Marco Asensio Coutinho wasn’t for sale at that late stage of the trans- on the bench for Real’s biggest games as “incomprehensi- fer window, prompting mutterings from the 25-year- ble”, after Asensio posed more of a threat for the final 15 old’s camp that he was angry with the decision. minutes than Benzema had for 75 before being hooked at Klopp cleverly kept both his employers and the the Wanda Metropolitano. player happy toeing the company line without criticis- Marca’s rival publication AS described Benzema as a ing Coutinho. When he finally returned to action after “ghost striker” for his lack of end product. Former England MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s Spanish midfielder Koke (bottom) vies with Real Madrid’s French forward Karim an injury-hit start to the season, Coutinho repaid his great Gary Lineker has even provoked a fierce reaction Benzema during the Spanish league football match Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid at the Wanda manager for his diplomacy. from both Zidane and Benzema in recent weeks for Metropolitan stadium in Madrid. — AFP On a red-hot streak of late, Coutinho bagged his labelling the latter “overrated”. fifth goal of the season in Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Benzema’s eight-year stint at the Santiago Bernabeu Southampton on Saturday. It was Coutinho’s fifth ing Madrid’s transfer policy. The Portuguese admitted Real 40,” he said in response to Lineker’s criticism. has been filled with highs and lows. Jose Mourinho com- strike in his last seven appearances, but the Brazil for- lacked the same experience in a depleted squad this sea- However, having saved their money as rampant inflation plained of his meek nature claiming he wanted a “hunter” ward’s value to Liverpool is measured in more than son after a first defeat in the Champions League group swept through the transfer market in the summer, time is whilst describing Benzema as a “cat” when Real boss, and just goals. When Coutinho first arrived at Anfield fol- stages for five years at Tottenham Hotspur in their last running out for Benzema to prove his worth with Real Benzema has often found himself whistled by the demand- lowing his £8.5 million move from Inter Milan in 2013, European outing. well-placed to splash out on a new Galactico at the end of ing Bernabeu crowd for his lack of killer instinct. he believed he was in danger of being pigeon-holed as Yet it is Ronaldo’s presence that has played a huge role the season. Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski and Pierre- solely a playmaker. in preserving Benzema’s status as Madrid’s number nine Emerick Aubameyang have all been linked with a move to REAL BACKING Quickly adjusting to the unique demands of the fre- However, in a huge show of support, Benzema, 29, was with the latter seen as the perfect unselfish foil for the Bernabeu. The one competition where Benzema does Ronaldo. “He is more egotistical than me, but that is nor- have a formidable record is in the Champions League. netic Premier League, Coutinho realised it was impor- handed a bumper new four-year contract in September. tant to work on the defensive side of his game. He Madrid also bet big on Benzema by cashing in on Alvaro mal,” Benzema told Canal+ France last week on his rela- Only Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Raul and Ruud van tionship with Ronaldo. “I score goals but there is someone Nistelrooy have scored more than his 51 goals in the com- also focused on developing a more nuanced under- Morata when Chelsea offered £60 million ($81 million, 68 standing of how to thrive in a team structure rather million euros) in July and failed to replace the Spanish alongside me who scores 50 goals a season.” petition proper. A return to form to secure Real’s place in Zidane has been a fierce defender of Benzema’s role as the knockout phase for a 21st consecutive season when they than playing on instinct alone. international. Morata scored more goals than Benzema last “I have grown immensely since I’ve been here,” season despite playing fewer minutes and his sensational a team player not just a goalscorer. “Karim won’t score 60 travel to Cypriot champions APOEL Nicosia today is need- goals a season, but he will score 25 or 30 and make 30- ed to quieten the critics once more. — AFP Coutinho told Goal.com recently. “I have become start to his Chelsea career has left even Ronaldo question- stronger here in every way. Every year, I’ve felt like I’ve taken more on and become better, more complete and mentally prepared, not only with football but life score at least two goals to keep their hopes alive. The Italian qualify and secure top spot as Jose Mourinho’s team close in in general.