Tony Pulis: The art of man-management, motivation and superstition in football
Former Premier League manager Tony Pulis reveals his innovative player motivation techniques accumulated over decades in football management. The article details his use of unusual methods including bringing in a hypnotist for Bournemouth players before a League Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers, showing motivational videos featuring Al Pacino speeches, and creating artificial adversity by telling players about perceived criticisms from opposition managers. Pulis also discusses deep-rooted superstitions including counting magpies before matches, wearing the same cap during winning streaks, and keeping lucky boots from the 1987 season. He reflects on learning dietary lessons early in his career after eating steak before a game at Stamford Bridge.
