Manchester United star Paul Pogba must end war of words with Jose Mourinho and let his football do the talking
There is tension between the pair at Old Trafford but they must put differences aside for any chance of success this season
THE TIME has come for Paul Pogba to end his war of words with Jose Mourinho.
Time to let his football do the talking. For his own sake.
The Manchester United midfielder’s latest public attack on his manager’s tactics, after their 1-1 draw at home to Wolves on Saturday, tells me we have a player who knows he has a lot of power at that club.
While Mourinho was accused of parking the bus, Pogba threw his gaffer under it, as he laid the blame for their lack of attacking football well and truly at The Special One’s door.
The Frenchman must have some powerful allies at Old Trafford for him to come out and say stuff like that. It was a direct dig at his coach.
This is obviously not the first time the pair have had a go at each other in public. And I agree United should be playing more of an expansive, attacking game.
But it doesn’t matter if his comments are right or wrong. I just do not want to hear it coming from him.
If I was his big brother I’d tell him: “Enough’s enough, it’s time you stopped talking now because it’s not doing you any favours. Just do your stuff.”
He has a lot of supporters at United. But, if he is not careful, they could turn against him. Because by coming out all the time and saying these things, he is casting himself as the protagonist in this long-running battle with his boss.
If he does not pull back, the focus on him will become all about what he is saying off the field, rather than how he is playing on it.
He could end up being branded a troublemaker and fans might start to think, ‘Hang on, I can now see why the manager’s having trouble with him’.
People will wonder if he is saying these things in public, what is he like behind closed doors?
Pogba is an intelligent man who knows exactly what the repercussions of his “attack, attack, attack” comments will have on his manager.
But Pogba needs to start realising the impact on himself. Especially as Mourinho is now keeping schtum.
It is almost as if he is giving Pogba enough rope — or in this case tongue — to hang himself with.
I do not want Pogba to do that. Especially as, being a midfielder, he has to take some responsibility for United’s style of play.
As someone outspoken, I totally understand his frustration.
But supposedly one of the best players in the world should not be coming out and saying this stuff publicly.
He must have some powerful allies at the club but he is the only one in the dressing room airing these views.
Romelu Lukaku and Luke Shaw have praised Mourinho recently, despite both having been hung out to dry by him in the past. Even Anthony Martial, who you feel would have more reasons than most to stick the boot into the manager, has not joined in.
So is Pogba alone in what he is thinking? Or is he the only one with the power and the cojones to say what he feels? Whatever his reason, Pogba needs to stop. For his own sake.
He needs to ensure he will be remembered at Manchester United as a top World Cup-winning midfielder, one who proved the club wrong for letting him go by returning.
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And for being not only one of the most expensive players to put on that famous red shirt but also one of the best.
He does not want to go down in the Old Trafford history books as a over-opinionated star, whose most memorable battles were fought with his manager on the back pages.
I have never been short of an opinion but I never called out a manager in public.
Why has nobody senior at United, like Ed Woodward, had a word with him and put a stop to this?
I do not know how much power Pogba has at Old Trafford but with his continuous comments about Mourinho, it seems he is not afraid of anybody at the club.
And for a player to have that sort of power is not a good thing, least of all for the player himself.