Pogba is the epitome of a complete footballing coward.

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Jamie Shawcross

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Pogba was brought back with the promise of being our star man, our central figure and at the time this appealed to his ego. I am sure the insane wages and image rights helped, but first and foremost he wanted to be the main man. He seemed like he was sulking from day one as soon as he finished his 'pogback' silly promo stuff and I feel that was probably because he was immediately overshadowed by Zlatan (in pogba eyes). Roll on a couple of seasons and he is arguably our best player talent wise, but he cannot hack being the main man, he has been found out. He would be better suited to a team where he slots in and isn't the main man (his previous stint at Juve anyone??), where he can get away with pratting about on Twitter and playing without any real responsibility. He can't cut it as a leader and he has made that quite clear.

If he had anything about him, he would stay put and prove to us and himself that he can grow up and lead. Stay show us what you are capable of. Sadly (or not if you ask me), he won't do this because he hasn't got the guts. He never will be the leader of any team. He will always want to be, but he is too egotistical to admit he can't cut the mustard as the main figure head in a football team. I see many a stop from now until the end of his career, wherever he plays.

Such a shame.
 

shahzy

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Love how fans blame him for everything when the problem clearly is everyone around him is complete mid table trash. Perhaps the angst should be at Woodward and the managers for assembling such a shit squad because that's what we are. A shit squad with 1 world class players who's expected to do it all to mask the others
 

Jamie Shawcross

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Love how fans blame him for everything when the problem clearly is everyone around him is complete mid table trash. Perhaps the angst should be at Woodward and the managers for assembling such a shit squad because that's what we are. A shit squad with 1 world class players who's expected to do it all to mask the others
I don't blame him for everything, and I certainly don't deny the much bigger problems at the club...but I am just specifically talking about pogba here what I think of him. Relax :)
 

tentan

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Love how fans blame him for everything when the problem clearly is everyone around him is complete mid table trash. Perhaps the angst should be at Woodward and the managers for assembling such a squad because that's what we are. A shit squad with 1 world class players who's expected to do it all to mask the others
If Modric or De Bruyne put in some of the performances Pogba had been, they'll be called overrated and flops.
 

RedDevilCanuck

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Some of your points are right but you failed to mention we are a shambles of a club in terms of how it's run and the gulf in class between Pogba and our next best player is laughable.
 

Hawks2008

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When he came we were a Europa league club and now we are still a Europa league club 3 years on. He can't wait forever and I don't blame him for not wanting to continue with the likes of Jones and Young and Fred etc.

Just get the sale done before it gets too toxic.
 

Fridge chutney

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He's been "found out" yet he's our best player talent wise? I'm no fan of recent histrionics but this is a bit much.
 

TsuWave

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i can totally imagine Pogba, a player with multiple league titles and a world cup under his belt at 26 years old, reading this thread and thinking:

"yeah man, i'm gonna skip out on going to a better team, with much better players, a proven manager and reasonable chances at the most coveted club trophies to stay and struggle at a regularly 5th/6th place team and convince Jamie Shawcross of redcafe.net fame that i am not a 'footballing coward' and that i can grow and lead"

this is just like when women say stuff like "i want you to fight for me", as if they were your freedom or something
 

Yagami

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I'd say he was the opposite myself.

He, as a kid, bet on himself to succeed at Juve and did. Then, when he could've played for a title challenging team, he chose us in our worst period as a club in decades. That's the opposite of being a coward as neither were sure bets but he went for it anyway. He succeeded in one and failed at another, but it was brave to come to us in the position we were in considering the other clubs he could've played for.

A footballers career is short, and we're a terribly run club who look like we're about to go on a Liverpool-esque barren run, so I don't blame him whatsoever for wanting out.

Like, despite being one of our best players and leaders ever, if we were as bad 20 years ago as we are now, Keane would want out, too. I personally don't class that as being a coward.
 

WR10

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You’ve got it allllll wrong mate.
He runs on influence. Great players have great influence and when he’s surrounded by great players (Juve) he is put in place and respects his surroundings enough to demonstrate his natural talent.
United? He only tried when Zlatan kept him in place and early Mourinho influenced him heavily (obviously as that’s the reason he signed).
France? No brainer there. The role he took on for France actually invalidates this whole opening post.

Now? Who can influence him? Who’s ability is anywhere near his in this united team?
Why should he respect Ole? Ole has demonstrated that he wants a team of yes men that he doesn’t have to worry about handling in terms of influence. That’s just a spineless team. A team that will work hard and normalize losing because at least they ran. It’s destined for mid table mediocrity.

We’re in an absolute decline and Pogba doesn’t want to spend his prime years down the drain.

Mourinho called him a virus because at the time Pogba was (and still is) the most influential character in the changing room. Once he downed tools - Mourinho was gone within weeks.
 

3KDré

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Pogba was brought back with the promise of being our star man, our central figure and at the time this appealed to his ego. I am sure the insane wages and image rights helped, but first and foremost he wanted to be the main man. He seemed like he was sulking from day one as soon as he finished his 'pogback' silly promo stuff and I feel that was probably because he was immediately overshadowed by Zlatan (in pogba eyes). Roll on a couple of seasons and he is arguably our best player talent wise, but he cannot hack being the main man, he has been found out. He would be better suited to a team where he slots in and isn't the main man (his previous stint at Juve anyone??), where he can get away with pratting about on Twitter and playing without any real responsibility. He can't cut it as a leader and he has made that quite clear.

If he had anything about him, he would stay put and prove to us and himself that he can grow up and lead. Stay show us what you are capable of. Sadly (or not if you ask me), he won't do this because he hasn't got the guts. He never will be the leader of any team. He will always want to be, but he is too egotistical to admit he can't cut the mustard as the main figure head in a football team. I see many a stop from now until the end of his career, wherever he plays.

Such a shame.
Most people in their career would not stay at a company they believe doesn't have the structure to be doing as well as it could be. Most people would leave a job if they were surrounded by colleagues who are crap. Most people would leave a company if they feel they can't fulfil their potential or personal goals at this company.

Why should Pogba be any different? I don't see this 'sulking' people keep talking about. He seemed quite happy for the most part and sometimes he did seem to get a bit frustrated at the team he was playing with (I would too if I was playing with Young, Smalling, Jones, Matic, Valencia, Rashford, Lingard, Darmian etc).

He's trying to leave because it's what is best for him- just like every normal person would do.
 

Canagel

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Yet more nonsenses. You should open your eyes and separate the club from the team. We have a big name but the team is very poor and weak. Pogba is above this team and few levels above the players he play with. And I don't think he need to stay to prove some point about leading or whatever. Every player have the right to find a better solution for himself.
 

Un4givableB

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If wanting to leave a rich football club with no ambition or interest in winning trophies, for clubs whos only interests are winning trophies makes you a coward, then l stand with the coward.
 

glazed

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I don't blame Pogba for wanting to leave. I blame the Glazers for being terrible owners.
 

RedRonaldo

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He is our best outfield player though. It’s kind of like Messi in Argentina.
 

macheda14

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That's good...
As you’ll see by all the comments that have gone, this is a nothing thread that could have been said in the countless other threads about Pogba. He should have definitely worked harder while with us, but he also plays infinitely better when everyone around him is playing better. Some players are like that, some can’t just take the game by the scruff of the neck every game. I would say it’s less him being a bad player, more the wider footballing world realising he’s a slightly luxury player. He can be a world beater when he’s in the right setting, but he isn’t the Keane/Scholes hybrid we hoped for. PLUS he was most likely, as is being reported, sold on being here for three years or so and moving on. He would probably be happy to stay here if the club as a whole showed itself to be as ambitious as we all hoped it would be. Will I be happy if he leaves, no, will I begrudge him for leaving, slightly, but who can blame him (if he leaves for the right price).
 

hobbers

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We knew what we were getting when we signed him...

He was never going to be a leader. Or a good influence in the changing room. Or a guy who would pull a team through to a victory even if he had to do it by himself.

He's a marketing brand first and footballer second. And he's realised being at United is now hurting his brand aspirations as well as his trophy aspirations. And fair enough.
 

mariachi-19

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Love how fans blame him for everything when the problem clearly is everyone around him is complete mid table trash. Perhaps the angst should be at Woodward and the managers for assembling such a shit squad because that's what we are. A shit squad with 1 world class players who's expected to do it all to mask the others
Then set the example. Play so well that you lift the players around you to another level. Brian Robson did it to the upmost degree.
 

Eli Zee

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If Modric or De Bruyne put in some of the performances Pogba had been, they'll be called overrated and flops.
If they were on our team they would.... every player we signed plays worse for us than their old team
 

Rhyme Animal

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Then set the example. Play so well that you lift the players around you to another level. Brian Robson did it to the upmost degree.
It's the manager's job to raise the performance level of the players - it's not the responsibility of a flair player ffs.

'Make them better players, Paul'. This is insane.
 
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Datuputeh

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I wouldn’t call him a coward.

He is more a self-entitled hip generation footballer who believes too much of his own hype.

Regardless of his abilities, if he were to play for City last season, not only would City be more likely to have lost the league, he won’t be anywhere near the starting lineup if Pep does what Pep does.

Same with any other clubs going for the top 6. If he were at Leicester or Wolves the teams would fall like a lead ball with an overinflated head for a player Pogba in the team.

His WC is not really that impressive, it was afterall a lottery with few games at stake in a space of a few months. A team with Mbappe and Griezmann would win the WC regardless.

I personally wouldnt want him anywhere near Everton. He would stink the place up and down tools the moment he believes he is head and shoulders above the rest
 

KennyBurner

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Before Pogba came we were a joke. After 3 years we are still a joke yet you guys wonder why he wants to leave. Give it a rest he hasn't been disrespectful. You calling him a coward doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things because the fact of the matter is the club is a JOKE!!!! When you create these terrible threads you need assess who your anger should go towards. Management is to blame because we have been terrible for 7 years. Pogba wants to leave because we are terrible. He is thinking about his career and thats okay.

Also footballers don't owe us anything. Gone are the days of loyalty in football. As fans we really need to get used to it. This is the age of mercenaries. So in order for us to compete we have to either recruit well and keep those players happy with good wages. In our case we dont recruit well but we damn sure give out great wages.
 

KennyBurner

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If they were on our team they would.... every player we signed plays worse for us than their old team
I really cant think of one player that has come here and been light years ahead in performances compared to his previous club. It just shows you that the whole club is dysfunctional from the players to even the coaches. I'm really banking on ole changing the way we operate in the backroom.
 

Amarsdd

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You’ve got it allllll wrong mate.
He runs on influence. Great players have great influence and when he’s surrounded by great players (Juve) he is put in place and respects his surroundings enough to demonstrate his natural talent.
United? He only tried when Zlatan kept him in place and early Mourinho influenced him heavily (obviously as that’s the reason he signed).
France? No brainer there. The role he took on for France actually invalidates this whole opening post.

Now? Who can influence him? Who’s ability is anywhere near his in this united team?
Why should he respect Ole? Ole has demonstrated that he wants a team of yes men that he doesn’t have to worry about handling in terms of influence. That’s just a spineless team. A team that will work hard and normalize losing because at least they ran. It’s destined for mid table mediocrity.

We’re in an absolute decline and Pogba doesn’t want to spend his prime years down the drain.

Mourinho called him a virus because at the time Pogba was (and still is) the most influential character in the changing room. Once he downed tools - Mourinho was gone within weeks.
Think you're contradicting yourself here. He runs on influence and needs great players around him, and he was the one running the team and he downed tools leading to Mourinho's firing? Great superstar players are supposed to make the average players around him look good and pull them through games. Players like the Ronaldos, Messi, Hazard, and even Rooney for some time (post Ronaldo and pre Van Persie). For sure, Pogba is a great talent but if he needs great players around him to perform, then he is not really a great player.

As for him being a footballing coward, I feel its slightly condescending. Simply, he is not the great player we thought he was. Personally, I do not really care if he stays or goes. I never really felt any real connection to the player for whatever reason.
 
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TsuWave

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We knew what we were getting when we signed him...

He was never going to be a leader. Or a good influence in the changing room. Or a guy who would pull a team through to a victory even if he had to do it by himself.

He's a marketing brand first and footballer second. And he's realised being at United is now hurting his brand aspirations as well as his trophy aspirations. And fair enough.
do you guys honestly believe this stuff? the guy has been described as leader, model professional and great influence in the changing room by all his managers bar Mourinho.

the myth about the Pogba brand is also ridiculous. yes, he is a popular player but that's because he is firstly an amazingly talented and skilled player. he didn't wake up a brand. he's nowhere near the most popular players in terms of being a readily recognizable IP.

United is currently a shit team/club. He is leaving because he is coveted by teams that are in a much better position sporting wise, you know, as most elite players are.
 

hobbers

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do you guys honestly believe this stuff? the guy has been described as leader, model professional and great influence in the changing room by all his managers bar Mourinho.
"All his managers", yeh, all two of them. And you've also forgotten about Fergie.

And funny thing, managers talk a lot of absolute horse shit about their players. Because they realise that while some players respond to provocation and challenges, others just have giant egos that need massaging.
 

marktan

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If Modric or De Bruyne put in some of the performances Pogba had been, they'll be called overrated and flops.
If Modric or de bruyne played in this United team, similarly theyd struggle. Likewise stick Pogba into their teams, he'd thrive. I find it buzzard about this fixation with Pogba on this forum, our best 3 month patch of football was largely down to him, he's shown he's at a world class level with Juve and France, and yet the focus is on him and not the other 6-7 useless players he regularly plays with. Football is a team game, but apparently we've become FC Pogba.
 

fallengt

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Sure pogba is the core of our problem.
Jesus, if Ronaldo played for this team, he'd struggle to get 3 shot on target per game too.
 

ravi2

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feck the glazers
feck ed Woodward
And feck this thread.

Direct your frustrations towards the real problem that is facing mufc and it isn't Paul Pogba.
 

simonhch

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feck the glazers
feck ed Woodward
And feck this thread.

Direct your frustrations towards the real problem that is facing mufc and it isn't Paul Pogba.
You are both right and wrong. The problem with United definitely is Woodward and the glazers. The entire sporting structure is a joke. But Pogba is also a problem. He’s been underwhelming on the pitch and a distraction and potentially toxic off it.
 

ravi2

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You are both right and wrong. The problem with United definitely is Woodward and the glazers. The entire sporting structure is a joke. But Pogba is also a problem. He’s been underwhelming on the pitch and a distraction and potentially toxic off it.

Pogba should be sold and has behaved unprofessionally but the real reason he is pissed is that he is playing for a lacklustre team that isn't going to win anything anytime soon and has the worst upper management in all of Europe. Ed Woodward is so bad at the footballing aspects of his job that it's embarrassing. I don't blame Pogba for wanting to go, it's the manner that he is doing it that is wrong.
 

Un4givableB

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do you guys honestly believe this stuff? the guy has been described as leader, model professional and great influence in the changing room by all his managers bar Mourinho.

the myth about the Pogba brand is also ridiculous. yes, he is a popular player but that's because he is firstly an amazingly talented and skilled player. he didn't wake up a brand. he's nowhere near the most popular players in terms of being a readily recognizable IP.

United is currently a shit team/club. He is leaving because he is coveted by teams that are in a much better position sporting wise, you know, as most elite players are.

It makes some our dumb fans feel better to think that, let them have delusions.
 

DeepSpace

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Pogba was brought back with the promise of being our star man, our central figure and at the time this appealed to his ego. I am sure the insane wages and image rights helped, but first and foremost he wanted to be the main man. He seemed like he was sulking from day one as soon as he finished his 'pogback' silly promo stuff and I feel that was probably because he was immediately overshadowed by Zlatan (in pogba eyes). Roll on a couple of seasons and he is arguably our best player talent wise, but he cannot hack being the main man, he has been found out. He would be better suited to a team where he slots in and isn't the main man (his previous stint at Juve anyone??), where he can get away with pratting about on Twitter and playing without any real responsibility. He can't cut it as a leader and he has made that quite clear.

If he had anything about him, he would stay put and prove to us and himself that he can grow up and lead. Stay show us what you are capable of. Sadly (or not if you ask me), he won't do this because he hasn't got the guts. He never will be the leader of any team. He will always want to be, but he is too egotistical to admit he can't cut the mustard as the main figure head in a football team. I see many a stop from now until the end of his career, wherever he plays.

Such a shame.
You need to calm down. Pretty certain you wouldn't have the balls to say this to his "cowardly" face if you met him in the street or wherever. Facts are, he's talented and he's mostly surrounded by mediocre players.
 

shahzy

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Then set the example. Play so well that you lift the players around you to another level. Brian Robson did it to the upmost degree.
So he's the manager now?
There is ONLY so much 1 player can do. Surrounded by trash wears thin and wears you down and lowers your confidence and thus you perform worse. I'm sure if you've ever played a team sport or any team setting, if the others around you aren't pulling their weight, you start wondering whats the point.
FFs even Messi has this same characteristic. Him surrounded by good players at Barca vs Argie all his career he has looked 2 different players in those respective settings. You can't expect Pogba, who is not Messi, to do something which 1 of the best players of all time can't seem to do either
 
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