Pulis accepts Tuncay temper

Tuncay: Backed by Pulis

Tony Pulis has declared that he will 'not make a big deal' out of Tuncay Sanli's response to being substituted against Aston Villa.

The Stoke forward disappeared straight down the tunnel, unhappy that he had been taken off after 53 minutes of the goalless draw at the Britannia Stadium.

The Turkey international had also shown his frustration at being replaced against Hull City in November, with Pulis making the change after Abdoulaye Faye was sent off despite the fact that Tuncay had only just come on as a substitute.

Pulis has no plans to punish Tuncay for his most recent act of defiance as he recognises that every player behaves differently.

"We've spoken but I've not made a big deal of it. You have to accept Tunny's different," the Potters manager said in the Daily Mirror.

No nastiness

"The players have got different personalities and I don't think he meant it in a bad or nasty way.

"But people respond differently and you have to accept that. It's not a big deal.

"Today there are situations at other clubs with so-called bigger players whose reactions have not been brilliant when they've been brought off. It's just the make-up of the game today."

And Pulis has challenged Tuncay to bounce back with a good performance in Stoke's next game against Tottenham on Saturday.

He said: "With Tunny, it's just his temperament and I'm hoping that if he's selected he'll go out there, work his socks off and get us two or three goals."