IT WAS the most withering put down that Paul Pogba has ever experienced.
A player with four Serie A titles and a World Cup winner’s medal was given it straight to his face in front of his team-mates by Jose Mourinho.
The Manchester United boss told the £89million midfielder: “You’re a good player, not a special player.”
On the evidence of Pogba’s time at Old Trafford, Mourinho could have even been considered generous in his assessment. His view certainly echoed the thoughts of many fans underwhelmed with the player.
SunSport exclusively reported yesterday that Mourinho had torn a strip off the club’s record signing in the changing room for losing the ball in the build-up to Wolves’ goal in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Now we can reveal the brutal words that will have infuriated the Frenchman.
Shortly afterwards Pogba faced the media in the bowels of the Stretford End and delivered his own response.
Never has a serving Manchester United manager been so publicly humiliated by a player as Pogba attacked Mourinho’s tactics for being too negative.
The midfielder said: “When we are at home we should attack, attack, attack. That’s Old Trafford. We are here to attack.
“I think teams are scared when they see Man United attacking and attacking. That was our mistake today.”
Asked what is stopping the team from attacking more, Pogba tellingly replied: “I can’t tell you because I’m a player. It’s not me.”
Boiling point had been reached and now the lid was about to blow off.
In his absence yesterday, Mourinho told United’s squad for last night’s game with Derby that Pogba would never captain the Red Devils again.
The message was clear to the players — no man is bigger than the club.
Pogba had taken the armband three times this season in Antonio Valencia’s absence and Mourinho clearly saw him as the long-term leader. But Pogba has undermined his manager too many times now.
The first time this season came after the opening game, a home win over Leicester, when Pogba said: “There are things that I cannot say, otherwise I will get fined.”
SunSport exclusively revealed how in the wake of that statement the manager hauled the former Juventus star into his office at Carrington.
A furious Mourinho told Pogba he did not appreciate the comments and if he wished to leave Manchester United he should ask for a transfer.
It is not the first time the pair have had showdown talks.
They have been at odds since the middle of last season when Mourinho grew frustrated at Pogba’s inability to follow instructions.
Subbed and axed in January and February this was new ground for the £89m man. SunSport revealed how Pogba went to Mourinho to complain about his tactics and where he was being played.
The boss replied by telling him to check the sign saying ‘manager’ on his door on the way out.
It was a clear statement to one of United’s star players: ‘I’m the boss’.
Pogba, 25, was not happy. He already felt he was being made a scapegoat for the team’s poor form at that stage of the season.
The midfielder was also annoyed at being called out in front of other players during training.
This summer his performances at the World Cup finals showed the player he could be for United.
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A point Mourinho emphasised in a back-handed compliment for Pogba when speaking on United’s pre-season US tour.
That irked the player. He does not take well to criticism, it seems.
Following defeat in the second game of the season at Brighton, manager and player met again and agreed to put their differences aside and work together for the common good of United.
A second consecutive loss — 3-0 to Tottenham at Old Trafford — then saw Mourinho change tack from tough love to an arm around the shoulder with Pogba and, indeed, all the players.
The result, three wins on the spin, all away from home.
The simmering tensions were still there, however, ready to come to the boil at any moment.
So when Mourinho laid into Pogba after the Wolves game, the player was not having it.
But you don’t question the boss, not one with Mourinho’s CV and experience.
In his programme notes last night the Portuguese chief undoubtedly had Pogba in his sights.
He wrote: “I hope we can look back on Saturday’s game against Wolves for an important lesson, a lesson that I repeat week after week after week, a lesson that some boys are not learning.
“Every team that plays Manchester United are playing the game of their lives, and we need to match that level of aggression, motivation and desire — 95 per cent isn’t enough when others give 101 per cent.”
Now surely the exit door that was creaking open for Pogba is hanging off its hinges with Barcelona waiting to pounce.
This would not be like losing Roy Keane at the height of his powers, though.
United fans have only ever been able to wonder what Pogba could be for United, not what he is.
When he admitted after that Brighton defeat that his and the team’s attitude was not right the faithful could hardly believe what they were hearing.
It was all supposed to be a glorious return. But six years after Sir Alex Ferguson helped open the Old Trafford exit door for Pogba the first time, Mourinho is ready to do the same.
“It is disappointing. I don’t think he showed us any respect at all, to be honest. I’m quite happy that if they carry on that way, they’re probably better doing it away from us.”
Those were the words of Sir Alex about Pogba at the time.
They could soon be Mourinho’s, too.
Linkhttps://textbacklinkexchanges.com/jose-mourinho-and-paul-pogbas-manchester-united-relationship-over-after-latest-withering-put-down/
News Pictures Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba’s Manchester United relationship over after latest withering put down
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