West Bromwich Albion have been one of the Premier League’s surprise packages this season.
West Bromwich Albion’s James McClean celebrates
Marc Wilson has suggested that James McClean told him before he moved to West Brom on loan that he was enjoying working under Tony Pulis, and insisted that the Baggies boss has given his international teammate a new lease of life, the Express and Star reports.
McClean has been more of a peripheral figure at the Hawthorns this term, but his effort can never arguably be questioned no matter how many minutes he plays.
And Wilson – who played under Pulis at Stoke before rejoining him in January, having signed from Bournemouth on loan – has insisted that the 27-year-old is an important player to have around the squad.
“He’s suited to Tony’s work ethic but he has got good ability as well to be fair to him,” he said, as reported by the Express and Star.
“He’s got some good years ahead of him.
“I know Jamesy well. I spoke to him before about working under Tony, and he said he was really enjoying it. It’s given him a new lease of life.”
West Brom manager Tony Pulis
While McClean has fallen down the pecking order somewhat, it is fair to say that he probably does provide something different to the other attacking options that have featured more regularly this term.
His ability to get stuck in may cost him at times, but it can also have a positive, almost inspirational, impact on his teammates as they know that they must show as much desire to win the ball back and use it wisely or they may face a fight for their place in the team.
And based on Wilson’s assessment of what McClean brings to the side, he clearly feels that Pulis will have few qualms about giving him a run of games in the starting lineup in the future.
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