TONY PULIS and Mark Hughes were happily washing their hands yesterday.
Saido Berahino’s failed drugs test is a classic example of English football attempting to sweep nasty things under the carpet.
Then even when it gets caught out, the game refuses to take any responsibility.
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Berahino, 23, tested positive for MDMA — the substance used in ecstasy tablets — at West Brom in September.
Although his mitigating personal circumstances meant he was only given an eight-week ban, Berahino is still guilty of being extremely unprofessional.
The FA, West Brom and even his new club Stoke have not behaved much better.
Branded a liar in court by a judge in November after losing a legal battle with Crystal Palace, Pulis, at his pre-match press conference, insisted he did not want to comment on the reason of Berahino’s ban.
The West Brom manager also claimed the main reason Berahino had not played for him after September was that he was not fit enough.
The main issue was clearly the England Under-21 player was banned for taking drugs while struggling psychologically after completing the ban.
Pulis said: “This club has been absolutely fantastic towards Saido with the way it’s looked after him and the way it’s tried to protect him from everything in any way, shape and form.
“It shows the depth and quality of the people in this football club that they’ve tried to protect one of their own.”
Well done Pulis. Well done West Brom.
Pulis added: “Anything Stoke asked for, we told them the truth. Saido should be really grateful because I have been at other clubs where the kid could easily have been thrown under the bus.”
Albion had to tell Stoke about the incident when selling the player for an initial £12million last month.
If Stoke had not known about a previous ban and then Berahino had failed another drugs test, they could have gone to court — a place Pulis knows well.
Stoke manager Hughes, who will be expecting a good response from Berahino against the Baggies today, was not much more forthcoming.
The Welshman’s general theme was that this was not his problem as it happened on another patch.
He said: “You are better off asking West Brom.”
Hughes added: “It was an eight-week ban, which in itself was a low level misdemeanour. On that basis, he’s served his suspension. My view is you move on from that.”
Again, not really good enough. But this is the football world where some people think they breath different air to other sportsmen let alone the supporters.
The FA also refuses to give out details if a player has failed a doping test for recreational drugs.
Yet the best deterrent at all levels would be for guilty players such as Berahino to be officially named and shamed.
Such secrecy will only fuel rumours among fans when one of their players misses three months due to fitness problems an injury.
If Pulis next attempts to explain why Player A is nowhere near his team, West Brom’s fans will have every right to wonder whether their boss is managing to tell the truth. Or whether he is lying.
Everyone at Stoke will hope Berahino can emerge from his dark spell and fulfil his talent.
In an interview before the ban was confirmed, Berahino, clearly not telling the truth, had the nerve to point his finger at West Brom.
He said: “I got accused of being fat. How can I become fat after starting three games in the league and then being dropped? Suddenly, I’m unfit.
“They never actually told me why I’m not playing. It could be because I didn’t sign a new contract.
“I’ve been portrayed very unfairly, I’m not a trouble-maker.
“So for me to read ‘he’s a bad boy and a bad egg’ was really hard to take.”
Berahino is actually remarkably lucky rather than the victim.
He got his move and now trousers £60,000 a week from his new employers.
Not bad for a striker who has managed just 23 goals in 106 Premier League appearances.
The slate is clean, although whether he has the mental strength and dedication to become a top striker remains to be seen.
If he fails, the youngster will look to blame someone else. Hughes will say it is not his problem. Then on to the next club.
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