France got the best out of Pogba.. now it’s Jose’s job to do it in a Man U shirt
Rio: Questions may get asked of Mourinho after Pogba’s top tournament
PAUL POGBA described winning the World Cup as “fulfilling a lifelong dream“.
But the 25-year-old France midfielder’s performances may just have been a game changer for his Manchester United career.
Suddenly the question is not why Pogba is underperforming at Old Trafford – but why Jose Mourinho is not getting the best out of him.
Pogba’s rampaging runs, dominance in the middle of the park and eye-catching goals made him one of the most complete box-to-box midfielders at the World Cup.
But at United, the £89million star found himself left out in the cold, a victim of Mourinho’s tough management style and seemingly on his way out of English football.
Now the United fans can see for themselves the talent that has been wasted in Mourinho’s rigid tactical approach which has not allowed Pogba to play his natural game.
The shackles must come off to allow the Frenchman to surge forward, break and become the force that he has shown with such style this summer.
Pogba must be expected to do the dirty and defensive work as well but now it will be a test of Mourinho’s management – otherwise serious questions will be asked of him.
Even more so that the Old TTraffordffd gafferff is expected to embrace flair players at a club renowned for their determination to win with style.
United hero Rio Ferdinand also laid the challenge at Mourinho’s door and claimed he must get the best out of Pogba now he has proved himself on the biggest stage.
Ferdinand said: “He has had a tough season in terms of the media and people within the game but for this World Cup he was responsible and stood up to a lot of hard tests.
“It’s down to Jose now to unlock the Pogba we saw at this World Cup. He was the talisman of this team.
“When he played at Juventus he was affecting games, maybe United aren’t getting the ball to him in the right areas.
“At United he’s not receiving a ball off a player like Andrea Pirlo, the balls aren’t getting to him quick enough in the right areas.
“He maybe isn’t being put in the right positions at the start of the game. And this is the manager’s job to figure it out.”
Pogba also insisted the World Cup was the highlight of his career even if he was careful not to get involved in criticism of United.
Pogba said: “This second star has been kindly placed on our shirt. I hope French people are proud.
“It’s a kid’s dream that comes true for me. Before the game I said to everybody, ‘ We are 90
minutes from realising our dream, to be world champions, to make history, to make France vibrate in a way that even the current and future French children would know what we have done.’”
Meanwhile, Olivier Giroud had a final joke at England’s expense after insisting France can begin a new football revolution.
The Chelsea striker said: “It’s coming home! I had to say that. We deserved it and we wanted to show everyone we could do it.”
The French hitman also admitted winning the World Cup was not just about proving his country are better than England and the rest but to show this generation can move on from 1998 legends Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Zinedine Zidane.
Giroud had copped flak for not scoring during the tournament but he started in the Final and revealed that gave him particular satisfaction as he has been questioned throughout his career as to whether he belongs at a top club.
He said: “All my career I have been through difficulties and it motivates me to get better and better.
“When you go through these difficulties it is what happens in l ife when you are really mot ivat ed, det ermined, committed. It is never easy.
“I have been criticised a little in the Premier League and in France as well. “But I receive a lot of messages from people who know football well, lots of French supporters. They see the work I do for the team and a lot of people wanted me to score in the Final. “We really wanted it because it was 20 years ago when we last won. We wanted to do it ourselves after the amazing generation they had with Zidane and other players. We are proud.”
It’s down to Jose now to unlock the Pogba we saw at the World Cup RIO FERDINAND