Tony Pulis on Stoke man Saido Berahino: I don't give a damn, he's not my problem anymore

Tony Pulis says he doesn't give a damn about Saido Berahino anymore.

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2017 by Dailystar.co.uk

Tony Pulis and Saido Berahino had a rollercoaster-like relationship

West Brom boss Pulis says the 23-year-old is Stoke's problem now after his £15m move.

The controversial striker is set to start when he returns to The Hawthorns today with news of his drug ban while at West Brom cranking up the heat even further.

Pulis said: "This club has been absolutely fantastic towards Saido with the way it's protected him, the way it's looked after him and the way it's tried to protect him from everything in any way, shape and form.

"He should be really grateful because I have been at other clubs where the kid could easily have been thrown under the bus.

"Unfortunately sometimes you look back and think was it worth it?"

Asked if Stoke boss Mark Hughes will be able to get through to Berahino, Pulis snapped: "Personally I don't give a damn now. He's not my problem anymore.

"I wish him all the best. If he gets the kid playing he's got a really good player."

Stoke boss Mark Hughes revealed yesterday he knew about Berahino's eight-week ban for a recreational drug before signing him although neither West Brom nor the FA told him.

But Pulis said: "Mark Hughes questioned why I wasn't picking Saido. So, he has answers. One, that he wasn't fit and, two, that he was serving an FA ban.

"This club has been open and honest in everything that it has done regarding Saido."

Former Stoke boss Pulis reckons he fears giant striker Peter Crouch more than Berahino though.

Pulis said: "I fear Crouchy a lot more than Saido. Peter is a fantastic player.

"I signed him six years ago and it was a lot of money at the time for a 29-year-old and there were one or two people in the club at the time thought it wasn't a good deal.

"But I remember speaking to Peter Coates the owner and saying that while I understood people saying we were not going to get a return on our investment in terms of a transfer fee back but what you'll do is guarantee Premier League football with Crouchy being there.

"I was frightened he was going to get his 100th goal at West Brom so I was really pleased he got it the other night."