Former Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has given his thoughts on the reported Paul Pogba-Jose Mourinho feud, believing the duo lacked “confidence” in each other.
Mourinho was relieved of his managerial duties last month after enduring a tumultuous start to the season which included a deterioration in his relationship with Pogba.
What went on between Mourinho and Pogba? Five key things to know…
- In August 2016 Mourinho signed Pogba for a then-world record £89m fee from Juventus.
- The pair started brightly, winning the Europa League and EFL Cup in 2017, but their rapport soon turned sour.
- Mourinho stripped Pogba of his vice-captaincy earlier in the season and the pair were captured in a tense training ground exchange in September.
- Pogba was struggling for form and consistency at Old Trafford but his brother has since revealed that “Mourinho was the problem”.
- The World Cup winner has been sensational since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took charge, scoring five goals in his last five matches.
Towards the end of his tenure, Mourinho had dropped Pogba from his starting XI altogether and Ibrahimovic believes the Portuguese’s tactics simply didn’t suit the Frenchman, who is now more “free” under the auspices of Solskjaer.
“Paul didn’t feel confidence from the coach, and the coach didn’t feel confidence for Paul,” Ibrahimovic told ESPN. “It’s difficult to perform as a player if you don’t have confidence from the coach and you don’t have that energy, that motivation, and Jose felt the same thing about Paul.
“These things happen, and that is part of the game also; I mean, not everybody can go among each other and do well together,” added Ibrahimovic.
“I feel like you come to a moment where it is too blocked and one goes or the other one goes. At this moment, the coach left, and Paul is more free now.”
Since Mourinho’s departure, Pogba has flourished in a new advanced role under a more-attack minded style of play, with the 25-year-old netting five goals and providing four assists in the six Premier League games Solskjaer has been in charge of.
Speaking on a revitalised Pogba, Ibrahimovic believes his former teammate is now playing with more “happiness” than in his previous role.
He added: “We are seeing [a] more happy Paul, more free Paul, more ‘do whatever you want to do,’ and he is succeeding with things now.
“It’s like new energy, new blood came in, and now he is playing like he knows how to play. And we know who Pogba is, and this is the Pogba we are seeing.
“When you play, happiness is very important, because when you feel stuck in a situation, you don’t express yourself 100 percent and play 100 percent.”
Pogba “outstanding” in new No 10 role
Mourinho was often criticised for not deploying Pogba further up the field, instead opting to utilise him in a deeper role, but since Solskjaer took the reins the Frenchman has found his services required more frequently in the final third.
He is now playing in a No 10 role, and speaking about this positional change after the victory against Bournemouth earlier this month, Jamie Carragher lavished praise on Pogba, who has acquitted himself expertly under the Norwegian coach.
Carragher said: “He’s been absolutely outstanding.
“He’s played a more advanced role under Solskjaer, which felt almost like the number 10 position to the left side.
“He’s been first in everything and first of the 22 players on the pitch, no doubt about it.”
The post Paul Pogba is “free” without Jose Mourinho at Man Utd – Zlatan Ibrahimovic appeared first on Squawka News.
From Squawka NewsSquawka News http://bit.ly/2AUS3pk
No comments:
Post a Comment