DOZY POGBA
United staff sent to wake him up at home
Manchester United had to send staff to Paul Pogba’s house to get the club’s £89million record signing out of bed.
Pogba, 24, failed to appear at carrington for a warm- down session after United’s thrilling 3-1 win at arsenal the previous evening.
it is understood the France midfielder did not respond to phone calls, so support staff were dispatched to Pogba’s luxury home in hale Barns to rouse him. the incident, which occurred on december 3, is only one example of United’s care team going to extreme lengths to cater for the club’s stars.
in other instances, the team — which includes property managers and officers to facilitate dope tests — have even been sent to buy toothpaste.
senior players such as Zlatan ibrahimovic, club captain Michael carrick and ashley Young have become exasperated by the behaviour of some team-mates and young players from the academy. ‘some of them look as if they’re taking the mickey the way they’re ordering things,’ said a source. ‘it makes you wonder what would happen if they ever ended up at rochdale or Bury. they would be stuck in a room wondering what to do.’
Pogba returned to domestic action after a three-match suspension in midweek when United made a shock carabao cup exit at Bristol city.
Manager Jose Mourinho questioned the attitude of some players, saying: ‘For some of us it was just one more day in the office — probably a day that some of them don’t even want to come to the office.’
there is no suggestion Pogba was one of the players Mourinho was referring to, and the former Juventus star had been sorely missed.
he will be a key figure as United try to cut Manchester city’s 11-point lead at the top of the table over christmas, though Mourinho’s side only have six rest days between playing Leicester today, Burnley, southampton and everton.
‘there are other teams in the same situation as we are, and Leicester is one of them,’ said Mourinho yesterday. ‘there are clearly some clubs that are really privileged, there are clearly another group that are really punished by decisions of the calendar, and there are another group in the middle. i know i’d never be in the top group, but we’d like to be in the middle group.’