Tuncay Interview

Selling Tuncay was one of the most controversial moves of Tony Pulis’ Stoke career - in a side crying out for a bit of flair and creativity, there was a lot of supporter unrest following the mercurial Turk’s sale. Even now, Tunny’s name is often brought up as we struggle to replace him and the spark he brought to the side.

Tuncay doesn’t often talk to the press, so I was particularly happy that he chose a Stoke fan to speak to for this exclusive interview where he talks about his time in the Potteries and his return to the Premier League.
JW – Welcome back to England! How does it feel to be back in the Premier League?
TS – Thanks very much. Not only it is great to be back in the Premier League but it’s also great to be back in England, too. I spent three and a half years of my life and career here and I’ve always said that England feels like a second home to me now. I love the lifestyle here and have adapted to the culture, weather, food and more so I am really happy to be back.
JW – It wasn’t as long a stay at Stoke as many of us had hoped it would be. Why do you think the move didn’t really work out?
TS – You’re right, it did not last as long as many of us had hoped it would, including myself. In my case, I truly believe that I gave 110% to the club every time I was given a chance to play for Stoke City. However, in football things don't always go according to plan and this is something I think we all need to accept, handle it professionally and move on, just like other issues we face in our lives, and that's what I did.

JW – Pulis plays a very rigid system, and you didn’t have the free role you have enjoyed at previous clubs. Like Gudjohnsen, did you find it hard to adapt?

TS – It's not that. Pulis is a coach who knows that it is a very difficult task to stay in the Premier League and progress does not happen overnight, hence he sticks with what he believes is best for the club and fans so people need to accept this and respect his choices and I have no problem with that.
Having said that, if you look at German or Italian teams, they have been playing very rigid and disciplined systems for years and years but they always manage to accommodate flair in certain positions which brings them success at international level. I think it is really important to combine both, get a team of players who work really hard, follow the coach’s instructions and also integrate a creative player into the team. In some games you just need this additional spark and quality to win you a game to take your team from good to better.

JW – Many of the fans of this club want to see an evolution of the way we play in order to progress. From a player’s perspective, do you feel the club are making any progress in this area?

TS - It is obvious that club is making huge progress. The FA Cup final last season, Europa League this season, and Pulis is happy to spend a little bit more money on the players he likes too. However, whether there will be an evolution of the way Stoke play, it is not a question for me to answer because only Tony Pulis and his staff know what the future plans are and the players he wants to bring in.


YOU CAN READ THE FULL INTERVIEW AT:

http://blogs.soccernet.com/stokecity/archives/2011/09/exclusive_tuncay_interview_1.php