Tony Pulis has said that managing fans' expectations for Stoke has been hard after their progress during his tenure as manager.

Pulis took Stoke from the Championship to four years in the Premier League, making the FA Cup final last season and making the last 32 of the Europa League this term.

"It's been a great year. To get to the FA Cup final and then qualify from our group in the Europa League and be in the Premier League's top ten means everyone should be very proud," Pulis said.

"Now the problem is managing expectation. There comes a point where you take the club to a level that exceeds what it should be achieving.

"What we've done so far this season has been remarkable but we've only been here for four years, not 40."

Pulis dismissed suggestions that Stoke could challenge for a top-six place this season, saying that they need to become more established before they take on the elite.

"People have to understand we're not going to finish above certain clubs. I'm not being negative, I'm talking about reality," he added.

"There's been bigger clubs than us that have caught a cold and fallen by the wayside.

"Every season our main objective is to stay up. Then we'll try and build a club that'll be in the Premier League for 20 years. If success comes, brilliant — but we need to do that for ten years at least."

Stoke are currently eighth in the Premier League with 25 points from 18 games.