Cape Times

TIME FOR POGBA TO SHOW WHAT HE’S MADE OF

- MINENHLE MKHIZE minenhle.mkhize@inl.co.za

THE departure of Jose Mourinho from Old Trafford as the manager of Manchester United brought joy to Paul Pogba, but it is time now for the French midfielder to bring happiness to the Red Devils faithful.

The lanky and garrulous midfielder couldn’t hide his feelings.

He was over the moon. He was jubilant.

His adversary, Mourinho is gone. He has bitten the dust.

Moments after the Red Devils announced that Mourinho was heading for the exit door, Pogba, posted a picture of himself smiling on instagram and suggested to his followers to caption the visual.

The World Cup winning maestro then deleted his post.

I found that childish.

We are all cognisant of his rocky relationsh­ip with the loquacious Portuguese manager but there was no need for that.

Man U paid a staggering amount of money to capture the services of Pogba but they haven’t witnessed their investment paying off.

Pogba had more hairstyles than his vigilant displays in the field of play under the tenure of Mourinho.

He has made more social media posts than the games he has won for Man United single-handedly.

Now, it is time for Pogba to show us what’s he made of.

Mourinho is gone, okay, he is excited but we want to see that excitement in the field of play.

He doesn’t have any place to hide. He has no excuses to make.

His enemy is now history at Old Trafford.

Pogba must now show us his true colours on the field of play.

The beleaguere­d Mourinho came under fire for playing Pogba deep.

The Portuguese was attacked for his defensive style of play.

The masses felt that Mourinho was restrictin­g Pogba.

The next six months will tell us more about Pogba.

Mark these following dates in your calendar.

They are very important. They are January 13, February 12, February 24, March 6, March 09 and March 16.

Hopefully, Pogba stays injury free during these dates because Man United are facing very crunch clashes against big opposition, and big players always rise in to the big occasion.

On the 13th of January they will visit Tottenham Hotspur in the league and then they welcome PSG in the first leg of the last 16 of the Uefa Champions League at home.

They will then face Liverpool also at home on the 24th of February.

The return against PSG in Paris is on March 6.

Three days later they will be up against Arsenal and then on the 16th, United will lock horns with their sworn rivals, Manchester City.

Obviously you can’t expect Pogba to shine in all of those matches, but consistenc­y is the sign of a champion.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have done it time and time again.

If Man United paid the sum of money they paid for the services of Pogba, why can’t he be expected to deliver week in and week out?

Pogba must realise that he is not a model.

We won’t judge him on his beautiful hairstyles or his poses on social media.

What he does in the field of play will determine his quality, and then he can do as many hairstyles and poses as he likes, we don’t care.

All we care about it is his displays on the field of play.

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