Paul Pogba - Free Agent | ban reduced - able to play competitively from March 2025

Seems a really poor / weak decision.

Unless fresh evidence had arisen and it's suddenly deemed he's 'innocent', then just reducing the ban by more than half when he's still seemingly as 'guilty' as he ever was isn't a good message to send out about drug cheating in sport.
 
RedRocket9908 said:
His ban has been reduced to 18 months by CAS

Click to expand...


Over the moon for him. Really hope he finds an Indian Summer to his career at a decent level. I doubt he play CL football again, but he’s such a nice bloke, and is drowning in talent.

I see no reason why he couldn’t play top level football if he’s still in the shape he’s always been in.
 
Gabriel Djemba-Bebe said:
Assuming that's a reference to Suarez, didn't they reject his appeal for biting Chiellini? As far as I'm aware, the racism ban didn't go to CAS.
Click to expand...
No, Suarez certainly didn’t use ‘terms of endearment’ to Evra, but Cavani did so to his mate in Paraguay on twitter, unluckily so. Neither case went to CAS.

Biting Chiellini wasn’t a case for CAS anyway, rather for The Food Standards Agency
 
Bertie Wooster said:
Seems a really poor / weak decision.

Unless fresh evidence had arisen and it's suddenly deemed he's 'innocent', then just reducing the ban by more than half when he's still seemingly as 'guilty' as he ever was isn't a good message to send out about drug cheating in sport.
Click to expand...

It’s a funny one.

When Rio got banned for 8 months, it was pretty much implied we’d be in for a world of pain if we didn’t just accept it.

By all means, 18 months without professional football is a long time being on the outside, especially at his age, but shaving off more than half of his sentence is a lot.
 
Bertie Wooster said:
Seems a really poor / weak decision.

Unless fresh evidence had arisen and it's suddenly deemed he's 'innocent', then just reducing the ban by more than half when he's still seemingly as 'guilty' as he ever was isn't a good message to send out about drug cheating in sport.
Click to expand...

Have you read both decisions and compared them?
 
NotThatSoph said:
Have you read both decisions and compared them?
Click to expand...

As far as i can tell, he’s essentially argued that it wasn’t on purpose, but due to a supplement recommended by his doctor, and that there were no intentions to cheat. Which could obviously be true, but it’s a bit of a weak excuse considering as it’s quite easy to claim it
 
He’s still only 31, feels like he’s been around forever. Should be at the prime of his career and ending it like Kroos or Modric, but probably off to Saudi now. Don’t think I’ve seen a more naturally gifted midfielder who has everything in the toolbox (skill, technique, dribbling, passing, shooting, but also the physical attributes ).
 
redNATION said:
He’s still only 31, feels like he’s been around forever. Should be at the prime of his career and ending it like Kroos or Modric, but probably off to Saudi now. Don’t think I’ve seen a more naturally gifted midfielder who has everything in the toolbox (skill, technique, dribbling, passing, shooting, but also the physical attributes ).
Click to expand...
I think we'll see a couple of sub appearances in a Juve shirt before he jets off to The US or Saudi Arabia, playing a dozen games a year then retiring at 34.
 
He can (and will) feck off asap to Arabia or similar pasture, hopefully by contract termination this month!
 
diarm said:
Lindelof, Pogba, Lingard and Martial. That video is not having the effect I suspect it was intended to.
Click to expand...

Not sure of what you’re meaning. It’s simply a Pogba performance highlight video. I appreciate his ball carrying and passing ability, as well as technical markers. Video was posted last month and seemingly did well in terms of metrics.

The video isn’t a “gotcha” moment. It’s simply a video of someone playing football, that some people might appreciate.
 
TsuWave said:
Not sure of what you’re meaning. It’s simply a Pogba performance highlight video. I appreciate his ball carrying and passing ability, as well as technical markers.

The video isn’t a “gotcha” moment. It’s simply a video of someone playing football.
Click to expand...
What drugs was he consuming when this was taken?
 
TsuWave said:
Not sure of what you’re meaning. It’s simply a Pogba performance highlight video. I appreciate his ball carrying and passing ability, as well as technical markers. Video was posted last month and seemingly did well in terms of metrics.

The video isn’t a “gotcha” moment. It’s simply a video of someone playing football, that some people might appreciate.
Click to expand...
and playing football at a higher level than anyone in the current team.
 
TheReligion said:
What drugs was he consuming when this was taken?
Click to expand...

Pogba was regularly tested as a United player. He’s on video being escorted - and protesting due to how regular it was - for drug testing whilst being a United player and he never tested positive.



I suspect whatever he used that resulted in his current ban was catalysed by his injury troubles.

Not that you were actually looking for an answer.
 
TsuWave said:
Pogba was regularly tested as a United player. He’s on video being escorted - and protesting due to how regular it was - for drug testing whilst being a United player and he never tested positive.



I suspect whatever he used that resulted in his current ban was catalysed by his injury troubles.

Not that you were actually looking for an answer.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mrs Pogba
 
Interesting that everyone thinks he'll be a crock. The enforced absence may well have given his body time to truly heal and repair. How it copes with professional duress is the toss up.

A player like him can get by without massive amounts of athleticism or mobility - I bet he's still faster, stronger and more mobile than Pirlo, for example. Whether he's worth building a team around is another question entirely.
 
This is great news, very pleased for him. Wonder if he can get back into the national team?
 
kouroux said:
Extremely happy for him, hope he can somehow revive his career to finish it decently. How we miss him for France :(
Click to expand...

I’m hoping him and Neymar still have one major international tourney in them. Last of a dying breed as far as I’m concerned.
 
France beats Argentina with a fit Pogba. In fact, France have been much worse without him.
 
I'm almost feeling nostalgic for how good he could be. Then I remember how good he usually was.

He's had a good career when it comes down to it, but I feel he could've been much much more.
 
He’s a fecking cheat.
Regrettably not in his own in that regard with players still playing.
Do whatever mate you are done.
 
Grande said:
No, Suarez certainly didn’t use ‘terms of endearment’ to Evra, but Cavani did so to his mate in Paraguay on twitter, unluckily so. Neither case went to CAS.

Biting Chiellini wasn’t a case for CAS anyway, rather for The Food Standards Agency
Click to expand...
Thought so. And yes, pinching a black player's skin whilst using that term seemed irrelevant to this threat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.