WHAT’S ON MAN UNITED
MANCHESTER United midfielder Paul Pogba has thanked Jose Mourinho for helping him “improve as a person” despite the breakdown of their relationship in the last few months leading up to the former manager’s sacking on Tuesday.
Mourinho, who replaced Dutchman Louis van Gaal in 2016, won the Europa League and League Cup in his first campaign but his third season was dominated by media reports of a rift with Pogba while United laboured on the pitch playing dull soccer.
Pogba was stripped of vice-captaincy earlier this season and dropped for the final three league games of Mourinho’s tenure, but the France international said that he had no hard feelings towards the Portuguese.
“We won trophies with Jose and I want to thank him for that. Not everything worked well, but (some) things went well,” Pogba told the British media.
“He makes me improve, as a person as well, and that’s it. That’s the past, I want to thank him for that. I’m sure that is the same for all the players.”
Pogba was immediately restored to the starting line-up under caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and produced two assists in Saturday’s 5-1 Premier League thrashing of Cardiff City.
“The performance of the team was great and we are happy that the first game of the manager starts like this,” Pogba added.
“It’s important now to carry on like that. We cannot play like this and win with five goals and then the next game lose.”
United, who are sixth in the standings with 29 points after 18 matches, host Huddersfield Town on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel says he may put his name forward to become the club’s director of football.
Schmeichel told BBC Radio 5 Live that if United, as expected, appoint a director of football, he might well be interested.
“I’m actually thinking about putting my name in there,” Schmeichel said.
“It’s a tough thing to find out about yourself, everyone looks at you; the scrutiny, and I’m not afraid of that. It’s also a really big change in what I’ve done.
“Like every other footballer, I really want to get involved in football again at some point.”
The 55-year-old added: ‘What’s really important is to get the Manchester United culture back and the identity back.
‘I would love to see (the job go to) someone who has played there, and can bring some of that Sir Alex (Ferguson) mentality back in the whole of the football club.
“I’m considering: ‘Do I have the qualities?’ And if I come up to an answer to that question, then I will put my name in the hat,” he said.
“I’ll have a good think about this over Christmas and New Year and make a decision about it.”
Schmeichel played 398 times for United, and won five Premier League titles, three FA Cups, the League Cup and the Champions League during his eight seasons with the club.|