By NBC
If you thought the “Jose Mourinho versus Paul Pogba” feud was going to go away anytime soon — that one of the two Manchester United titans would “be the bigger man” and put to bed any lingering tensions — well, think again.
Earlier last week, Mourinho, who has selected Pogba for only 210 of the last 450 minutes Man United have played across all competitions, urged reporters to “ask [Pogba] yourself” about the Frenchman’s lack of playing time and form… and they did.
Asked whether or not he would consider a move away from Old Trafford should the current complications continue, Pogba did anything and everything but rubbish the idea, leaving lots of room for interpretation: “It’s too early to say. The situation can change.”
Pogba said that he has “no problem with Mourinho” before deferring in similar fashion to his manager: “It’s not me who picks the team. Ask the coach if you want to know why I play less.” — quotes from Telefoot, translated by the Guardian:
“There is no problem with Mourinho. It’s not me who picks the team. Ask the coach if you want to know why I play less. I respect his choices. It’s true [being benched] has never happened to me, but it can strengthen me. You have to go through these periods to make you stronger.”
Mourinho has famously clashed with his teams’ superstars long before Pogba, and he’ll probably do so again after Pogba. For the sake of everyone involved, let’s hope this one doesn’t reach the point of an “it’s either him or me” ultimatum.
