by Kingseyi Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:17 pmJose Mourinho has broken his silence on his
relationship with French World Cup winner Paul
Pogba and insists there has been no
disagreement with Manchester United’s record
signing.
Mourinho and Pogba
A summer of discontent has seen
repeated reports that Pogba wishes to
leave the club he joined from Juventus for
£89.3 million two summers ago and move
to Barcelona.
They were followed by claims this week that
manager and player had exchanged angry words
in a heated meeting after comments made by
Pogba following last week’s opening league
fixture against Leicester.
Having starred, and scored, in United’s 2-1
victory, just four days after returning to pre-
season training following his World Cup
adventures, Pogba claimed: “There are things I
cannot say otherwise I will get fined.”
But Mourinho, preparing for Sunday’s visit to
Brighton, insists that argument never took place.
“The truth is we are together for two years and a
couple of weeks and I’ve never been so happy
with him as I am now, that’s the truth. I cannot
demand more from him,” Mourinho told
reporters on Friday.
“He came here on a Monday, trained three days,
I asked for his support for his contribution in an
important match for us when the team had
difficulties, he did it better and for more time
than we could expect.
“When he says he did it for the fans and for the
team, it is exactly what I want. It is exactly what
I demand from my players.
“He’s working well, playing well, he does it for
the fans, he does for the team and that’s what I
want. To play for the team and I couldn’t be
happier than what I am.”
Pogba will remain captain for the Brighton
game, although Mourinho explained that Antonio
Valencia will reclaim the armband when he
returns to action following a calf injury.
And the United manager refused to comment
about Pogba’s post-match outburst.
– ‘No problems’ –
“I don’t care,” said Mourinho. “I repeat: I want
him to play well, I want him to play for that
team, the fans and that is what it is.
“He’s working extremely well here but I have to
say in his defence, don’t put him in a situation
that people can think he’s not a polite, educated
guy — he is.
“He never had a fight with me. We never had a
heated exchange of words, everything is
respected, I have no problems at all.”
Mourinho also laughed off suggestions that
Pogba would have faced a fine for talking his
mind — pointing out that the only United player
to have been fined on his watch was Anthony
Martial, fined £180,000 for failing to return to
their pre-season USA tour following the birth of
his child.
“You have to ask Paul,” said Mourinho. “I’m
here for two years and a couple of months and
the only player that was fined was Anthony
Martial, so it’s not easy to be fined here.
“So you have to ask him. I’m not going to ask
him. I want him to work the way he is doing
and play the way he is doing and that’s all that
matters.”
After a strong showing in the World Cup and
United’s opening fixture, Pogba has set a
standard which Mourinho claims he is confident
the midfielder will maintain — although he will
have no problem if not.
“I am very confident but if he doesn’t that’s
football,” said Mourinho. “If his objective is to
play for the team, for the fans, if this is the
objective, he has the right for a bad match.
“Everybody has a bad day and has little ups and
downs in the performance level.”
Mourinho will welcome Jesse Lingard back into
his squad against Brighton, after returning from
World Cup duty.
relationship with French World Cup winner Paul
Pogba and insists there has been no
disagreement with Manchester United’s record
signing.
Mourinho and Pogba
A summer of discontent has seen
repeated reports that Pogba wishes to
leave the club he joined from Juventus for
£89.3 million two summers ago and move
to Barcelona.
They were followed by claims this week that
manager and player had exchanged angry words
in a heated meeting after comments made by
Pogba following last week’s opening league
fixture against Leicester.
Having starred, and scored, in United’s 2-1
victory, just four days after returning to pre-
season training following his World Cup
adventures, Pogba claimed: “There are things I
cannot say otherwise I will get fined.”
But Mourinho, preparing for Sunday’s visit to
Brighton, insists that argument never took place.
“The truth is we are together for two years and a
couple of weeks and I’ve never been so happy
with him as I am now, that’s the truth. I cannot
demand more from him,” Mourinho told
reporters on Friday.
“He came here on a Monday, trained three days,
I asked for his support for his contribution in an
important match for us when the team had
difficulties, he did it better and for more time
than we could expect.
“When he says he did it for the fans and for the
team, it is exactly what I want. It is exactly what
I demand from my players.
“He’s working well, playing well, he does it for
the fans, he does for the team and that’s what I
want. To play for the team and I couldn’t be
happier than what I am.”
Pogba will remain captain for the Brighton
game, although Mourinho explained that Antonio
Valencia will reclaim the armband when he
returns to action following a calf injury.
And the United manager refused to comment
about Pogba’s post-match outburst.
– ‘No problems’ –
“I don’t care,” said Mourinho. “I repeat: I want
him to play well, I want him to play for that
team, the fans and that is what it is.
“He’s working extremely well here but I have to
say in his defence, don’t put him in a situation
that people can think he’s not a polite, educated
guy — he is.
“He never had a fight with me. We never had a
heated exchange of words, everything is
respected, I have no problems at all.”
Mourinho also laughed off suggestions that
Pogba would have faced a fine for talking his
mind — pointing out that the only United player
to have been fined on his watch was Anthony
Martial, fined £180,000 for failing to return to
their pre-season USA tour following the birth of
his child.
“You have to ask Paul,” said Mourinho. “I’m
here for two years and a couple of months and
the only player that was fined was Anthony
Martial, so it’s not easy to be fined here.
“So you have to ask him. I’m not going to ask
him. I want him to work the way he is doing
and play the way he is doing and that’s all that
matters.”
After a strong showing in the World Cup and
United’s opening fixture, Pogba has set a
standard which Mourinho claims he is confident
the midfielder will maintain — although he will
have no problem if not.
“I am very confident but if he doesn’t that’s
football,” said Mourinho. “If his objective is to
play for the team, for the fans, if this is the
objective, he has the right for a bad match.
“Everybody has a bad day and has little ups and
downs in the performance level.”
Mourinho will welcome Jesse Lingard back into
his squad against Brighton, after returning from
World Cup duty.
