Craig Gardner joins Sheffield Wednesday to question Tony Pulis

Tony Pulis is looking for a blend of ages in his new Sheffield Wednesday coaching staff, and has started by appointing a man nearly three decades younger than him.
Craig Gardner: Former Birmingham player has joined Tony Pulis’s coaching staff at the Owls. (Picture: PA)Craig Gardner: Former Birmingham player has joined Tony Pulis’s coaching staff at the Owls. (Picture: PA)
Craig Gardner: Former Birmingham player has joined Tony Pulis’s coaching staff at the Owls. (Picture: PA)

Craig Gardner became the first person to join the 62-year-old at Hillsborough yesterday, just months after retiring from playing.

Now Pulis will try to bring in some of the more experienced figures he has worked with in the past as he looks to build a staff that will challenge and question him. For his part, Gardner plans to bring much-needed positivity to Hillsborough.

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“I’ve always wanted experienced people around me,” said Pulis, who has worked with the likes of Dave Kemp, Gerry Francis and ex-Wednesday players Sam Ellis and Gary Megson in his 10 previous managerial jobs. “I’ve always thought having people who question you and challenge you is good. Coaching is a massive cross-section of opinion and it’s nice to have people questioning what you’re doing and how you’re doing stuff.

Tony Pulis takes charge of his first Sheffield Wednesday training session. 
(Picture: SWFC/Steve Ellis)Tony Pulis takes charge of his first Sheffield Wednesday training session. 
(Picture: SWFC/Steve Ellis)
Tony Pulis takes charge of his first Sheffield Wednesday training session. (Picture: SWFC/Steve Ellis)

“I do need people who are going to come in and push me, test me and question what I’m doing.”

Having received his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, and UEFA A licence two years later, Pulis values young voices too. Not 34 until next week, midfielder Gardner only hung up his boots at the end of last season, although he combined playing with coaching in his final campaign at Birmingham City.

“I’d rather be a young coach than an old player,” reasoned Solihull-born Gardner.

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“Craig is someone I’ve got great respect for,” explained Pulis. “He’s a top-quality character, young coach, enthusiastic.”

Tony Pulis takes Owls training (Picture: Steve Ellis)Tony Pulis takes Owls training (Picture: Steve Ellis)
Tony Pulis takes Owls training (Picture: Steve Ellis)

As a player Gardner made 327 appearances, 260 in the Premier League, winning the League Cup in his first spell with Birmingham, and 14 England Under-21 caps.

He spent all of his career in the Midlands, save for three years with Sunderland, also playing for Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion, the latter under Pulis.

“It’s a good opportunity to get this club going again,” said Gardner. “We need to get some results and watch them climb up the league. This is a massive club with a great future.

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“He (Pulis) gets everyone together – the players, the club, the staff, the fans – and I think that’s what this club needs, that togetherness.

“I know he’s going to bring success here and I want to be part of that success.”

With James Beattie, Darryl Flahavan and Andrew Hughes following Garry Monk out of the club last week, Under-23 coach Neil Thompson has joined first-team training this week, along with his players Josh Dawodu, Ryan Galvin and Isaac Rice. It could be a longer-term arrangement for Thompson, who played for Barnsley, Hull City, Scarborough and York City, managed the North Yorkshire pair and Leeds United’s reserves.

“I always like to bring one young coach and someone who’s worked on the academy side,” explained Pulis. “I won’t have a lot time with the academy so I think it’s important there’s someone who knows the best players in the academy and how the academy is set up, because the link between the first team and the academy is important.”

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