Pulis in ‘no rush’ to sign new West Brom contract

Rob McCarthy
Tony Pulis

West Brom boss Tony Pulis is set to enter talks with the club over another contract extension but has stressed there is “no rush”.

Pulis, whose side are currently eighth in the Premier League, signed a one-year extension in October that runs to 2018.

On the prospect of another new deal for the 59-year-old, Baggies chairman John Williams said last month: “It would be (a) recommendation to my colleagues in China (West Brom’s owners) that…I would be more than happy to see his contract extended.”

And when asked ahead of Saturday’s league trip to Everton if he was ready to talk to Williams about that, Pulis said: “Yes, I’ll sit down with John and we’ll have a chat.

“He’s coming up to Everton this weekend, so we’ll sit down and have a chat.

“But there’s no rush.

“There’s no problems in anything we do here. John keeps me in touch with what the Chinese owners are thinking. I think they talk two or three times a week. So there is good communication between them.

“And I think Mr Lai (club owner Guochuan Lai) is actually over for the Arsenal game (on March 18) as well, and all the Chinese contingent.”

West Brom were beaten 2-0 at home by Pulis’ old club Crystal Palace last time out but that was their first defeat in six league games.

They are on 40 points from 27 matches going into the clash with seventh-placed Everton, who are four points better off.

And Pulis’ men are aiming this term to improve on the club’s best-ever Premier League season, the 2012-13 campaign that saw them finish eighth with 49 points.

Their cause that year was helped by 17 goals from Romelu Lukaku, the striker they had on loan from Chelsea who is on fire at the moment for Everton.

Lukaku has nine goals in his last nine appearances in all competitions, has netted 18 times in total in the league this season, and recently scored four in one match against Bournemouth.

Pulis said of the 23-year-old Belgian: “He’s got everything.

“He’s got power and pace and can cause people problems from all areas.

“He can run at you, take you on and beat you and score. He can score off crosses, and he’s instinctive in the box.

“He’s one of the top strikers in the Premier League.”