Jose Mourinho, the manager of Manchester United, ended up being grilled by the team’s fans after his assessment of Paul Pogba’s performance as part of the French national football team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which surpassed the footballer’s achievements as part of Man Utd.
"I don’t think it’s about us getting the best out of him. It’s about him giving the best he has to give. I think the World Cup is the perfect habitat for a player like him to give the best," Mourinho said in an exclusive interview with ESPN FC.
"At the same time, I feel the players in the World Cup feel that extra commitment with the country, with the people. That extra responsibility makes them sometimes overcommitted – they play for the team and only for the team. I think it was the perfect environment for a talented player like him to focus," he added.
According to The Daily Star, the Red Devil’s fans weren’t satisfied with Mourinho’s explanation and insisted that the manager himself was responsible for Pogba displaying a poorer performance when playing for the club as compared to his World Cup achievements.
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"Mourinho is a poor manager. He blames others for his own failures," one fan remarked, while another insisted that "Mourinho lacks man management and is the reason Pogba ain't playing well."
Always thought that Pogba needed certain players to "unlock" him. His performance at the World Cup changed my mind. Pogba is a class player who can strive in any system. Mourinho has not received his fair share of criticism for failing to get the best out of Pogba.
— ¹⁰ (@ClinicaIEden) 24 июля 2018 г.
Mourinho is actually angry Pogba won the World Cup
— Nduka (@Daniel_ND_) 24 июля 2018 г.
Earlier this week, Mourinho also faced calls to step down as the Red Devils’ manager after the team’s match against San Jose Earthquakes ended in a 0-0 draw.
