Monday 26 January 2015 12:12, UK
Ben Foster feels West Brom manager Tony Pulis’ ‘brutal’ methods are getting the best out of the Baggies.
Pulis has made an unbeaten start to his career at The Hawthorns and secured an FA Cup fifth-round place on Saturday with a 2-1 win at Birmingham City.
Foster says the squad has been given a wake-up call by the former Stoke City boss, who was brought in as a replacement for Alan Irvine earlier this month.
"It is brutal but I love it. I think it's fantastic," he said, after Victor Anichebe's double sent them through at St Andrew's.
"I would say he is just on to players a bit more. Nobody really gets away with anything now.
"Fair play to the gaffer. He lets nobody have rest days or slack off – nothing like that.
"Everybody is training to their maximum potential every day and everybody is looking a bit fitter and sharper and you can see the difference.
"Everybody does the same thing and there are no exceptions. There is no 'you might be the highest-paid player or the best player in the team'.
"It doesn't matter. You are doing the work, it's as simple as that.
"When he was rumoured to be coming to us I said 'look out lads, you'll be doing a bit of running'."
Foster replaced Boaz Myhill in the second half of the win at St Andrew’s, after the back-up goalkeeper suffered a finger injury, and afterwards spoke of Pulis’ attention to detail.
“He's the same old Tony Pulis and I think he's great, I really do,” said Foster. “He's so professional, so thorough and he thinks everything through down to the minutest detail.
"If you're somebody who is willing to work hard, be professional and do it the right way then you'll fit in, and if not you haven't got much of a chance with him."
