Pogba Future

[Gehrman]

Rooney said he wanted to leave - he also outright questioned the ambition of Sir Alex fecking Ferguson, and United as a footballing institution in his statement. Has Pogba done likewise? The most he did was say that he was unhappy (which, a blind man could see was because of Jose)

If anything, the fact he chose to come back when we were at one of our lowest post-SAF ebbs gives him some credit in my eyes. He could easily have stayed at Juve if he wanted, and actually challenged for the Champions League in a team which reached the final only a couple of years prior and were continually at the Quarter, and Semi-Finals in the years since.

Tbh a lot of the fans here were also questioning the ambition of the club, when we were replacing Ronaldo and tevez with Antonio Valenica and Michael Owen. As well taking cheap punts at players like Bebe, Obertan and playing Tom Cleverly and refusing to buy quality midfielders to replace Scholes and Giggs.

SAF had us challenging anyway and won 2 titles and reached another CL final, but that is also because SAF was a genius at getting his teams performing without having world class players all over the place.

Rooney and all our ambitious want what most our fans want. Really good quality players rather than making do with mediocre players, who might just make it.

 

[Janson]

Personally I don't have a problem with anyone who wants to move on.

Me neither. Players have the power nowadays to go wherever they want and force their way out if they want to, in different sports. Even non stars are doing it now. So you can't really do anything in the end, it's their decision.

 

[Cassidy]

Its a very dangerous situation when people decide that because someone has a different opinion and view point than them, that they support a player over the club...

 

[Ish]

Well fans don't like brutally honest answers from players.

Yep - especially when it doesn't agree with said fans' views of the world.

 

[King7Eric]

I guess we don't, but ever since we sold Ronaldo and lost Tevez, we have mainly been replacing our best players with worse or mediocre ones, which is one the reasons we have been in such a mess since Fergie left. We replaced ferdinand and vidic with players like Smalling, Phil Jones, Blind, and Rojo. We replaced Rafael, with darmian. We replaced Ronaldo and Tevez with Valencia and Michael Owen. We replaced players like Scholes with Tom Cleverly and Schneiderlin and Herrera. Nani with Depay. Rooney and Rvp with Lukkau and Rashford and Martial.

Paul Pogba is our only outfield galactico, who though inconsistent has proven to be unplayable and world class, when he is able to turn it on. I doubt we'd be able to replace his creativity and it there is also a loss of prestige with losing our biggest stars.

We are in danger of turning into Arsenal. Well actually we are no better than Arsenal at the moment, but a club of our stature and wealth should have team of superstars and quality players. Not lose them all to Madrid or PSG.

Well we seem to have different views about Pogba's importance and abilities. While he's no doubt a fantastic talent, he is not someone who's ever gonna dominate a game at the highest level against quality sides. For me, its players like Modric, Kroos, Carrick, Scholes etc who are indispensable to the structure of a successful team, not players like Pobga who's skill sets require the presence of one if not two midfielders along side him to be able to assert control over the game before Pogba can do his stuff, and even in such a role he's widely inconsistent as you say. So for me, he's not the kind of player who's indispensable and again its not a knock on his talent, its just the kind of player he is. Regarding the rest of your post, there isn't much to disagree with.

 

[Bastian]

It's no surprise that he's flirting with Real. 2 years on his contract this summer so we either give him the money he and Raiola ask for or we have to sell now.

However way this pans out, he should clearly not be United's captain.

 

[rotherham_red]

It's no surprise that he's flirting with Real. 2 years on his contract this summer so we either give him the money he and Raiola ask for or we have to sell now.

However way this pans out, he should clearly not be United's captain.

Cos Keane never had the club over a barrel due to the pay structure, or flirted with other clubs like say, Bayern or Juve. No, sirree...(!)

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

My opinion he will sign a new contract.

 

[Bastian]

Cos Keane never had the club over a barrel due to the pay structure, or flirted with other clubs like say, Bayern or Juve. No, sirree...(!)

You honestly think it's comparable? It was never about other clubs being a dream, it was solely about being paid what he thought he was worth, which in fairness, he was absolutely right about.

 

[Gehrman]

It's no surprise that he's flirting with Real. 2 years on his contract this summer so we either give him the money he and Raiola ask for or we have to sell now.

However way this pans out, he should clearly not be United's captain.

I agree. As good as Pogba is, he should not be captain. Imo apart from showing leadership, the captain should be someone loyal to the club and experienced. Pogba has not been here for long and doesn't seem to have a problem with flirting with transfer rumours all the time. Contrast that with Keane, Cantona, Robson, Giggs and Neville.

 

[Champagne Football]

Cos Keane never had the club over a barrel due to the pay structure, or flirted with other clubs like say, Bayern or Juve. No, sirree...(!)

Keane only ever demanded the going rate for a player of his ability. With Raiola and Pogba it seems to be a case of go to the highest bidder even if you've only been at the current club for 5 minutes. Loyalty is dead, Live for rewards.

 

[Janson]

I was disagreeing with this and saying that more than likely they just see things differently than you.

Well that's your opinion. I don't think it's likely at all in a lot of cases. If you defend Pogba for losing the ball on the half way line and we concede, then I would say chances are high you're a fan of his before the team. Not you personally, but those who do.

I guarantee you there will be members on here who will disappear from the forum if he leaves. Just like some did with Zlatan.

 

[Cassidy]

Well that's your opinion. I don't think it's likely at all in a lot of cases. If you defend Pogba for losing the ball on the half way line and we concede, then I would say chances are high you're a fan of his before the team. Not you personally, but those who do.

I guarantee you there will be members on here who will disapear from the forum if he leaves. Just like some did with Zlatan.

Its a very dangerous situation when people decide that because someone has a different opinion and view point than them, that they support a player over the club...

I'll just leave it at that.

 

[rotherham_red]

You honestly think it's comparable? It was never about other clubs being a dream, it was solely about being paid what he thought he was worth, which in fairness, he was absolutely right about.

I'd say it's pretty much comparable, yeah. Keane was the first to push the club to the brink to get what he wanted, which Pogba is most likely in the process of doing right now. Both are selfish actions borne from men who think rather highly of themselves.

I don't know if you were around back then, but I distinctly remember the rest of the country being up in arms over his wage demands. £50k a week was literally unheard of in the league back then, and there was plenty of hand-ringing from the press pack and other clubs over what it would mean to the rest of the country. Bear in mind, the minimum wage had just recently been introduced back then - a paltry £7-odd per hour, so just imagine what everyone else was saying about Keane and Utd when the average Joe had just about got his due's worth from employers, and that too below the rate of inflation.

Listen, seriously, I couldn't give a toss if he stayed or left - like @Zlatattack says, I don't begrudge anyone leaving the club. I'm beyond the age of the fanboy that I was back in the late-90s and early-00s, and I see the game for what it is. It is literally just a profession to the players, rather than something they live and breathe for. So, if you think because Pogba is playing games in the press he shouldn't be captain, then frankly you need to grow up (if I'm right in assuming you were around at the time that Keane threw his strop) and smell the coffee. There are plenty of captains for teams around us who literally get it by default, we've got Antonio "can't speak a lick of English" Valencia as ours, FFS! So this pontificating about the supposed sanctity of the armband here needs to stop. Keane being a selfish, egotistical twat didn't stop him from being a damn good captain for us for a good few years; and it likely won't preclude Pogba from being ours in due course either.

Keane only ever demanded the going rate for a player of his ability. With Raiola and Pogba it seems to be a case of go to the highest bidder even if you've only been at the current club for 5 minutes. Loyalty is dead, Live for rewards.

Loyalty and Keane is an oxymoron. Keane who literally walked out on his country in Saipan because the standards weren't as high as he was used to, or Keane who was so loyal to his teammates he publicly laid in to them and caused his demise at the club? That Keane? Ok then...

 

[RedDevil-85]

Rooney said he wanted to leave - he also outright questioned the ambition of Sir Alex fecking Ferguson, and United as a footballing institution in his statement. Has Pogba done likewise? The most he did was say that he was unhappy (which, a blind man could see was because of Jose)

If anything, the fact he chose to come back when we were at one of our lowest post-SAF ebbs gives him some credit in my eyes. He could easily have stayed at Juve if he wanted, and actually challenged for the Champions League in a team which reached the final only a couple of years prior and were continually at the Quarter, and Semi-Finals in the years since.

Dont think Rooney questioned SAFs ambition,he questioned the Glazers ambition after selling Ronaldo and Tevez and replacing them with Obertan,Owen and Valencia.

If Pogbas dream is Madrid then he can go for all i care.
I want players who whos dream it is to play for Manchester United.

Also terrible timing by Pogba,we have a new coach and a new start and he comes out with this.
Disappointing and a little annoying.

 

[Bratt]

Dont think Rooney questioned SAFs ambition,he questioned the Glazers ambition after selling Ronaldo and Tevez and replacing them with Obertan,Owen and Valencia.

That was SAF who did that, not the glazers.

 

[Janson]

I'll just leave it at that.

Why is it dangerous? There's nothing wrong with supporting players over clubs. People are just not used to it. It's just a conflict of interest, which is why I think the opinions on these players are so polarising.

You probably missed that part of my post but there are posters who have admitted already that they are fans of certain players first. And they tend to defend almost everything their player does. So why would it be so far fetched to assume that there are more who feel the same but are not open about it?

I don't know why people on here are so surprised when this phenomenon is mentioned. This is a very real thing, it coincides with fantasy football/basketball becoming so popular and player power. Those are the only sports I follow but it's probably happening in other sports too.

 

[Cassidy]

Why is it dangerous? There's nothing wrong with supporting players over clubs. People are just not used to it. It's just a conflict of interest, which is why I think the opinions on these players are so polarising.

You probably missed that part of my post but there are posters who have admitted already that they are fans of certain players first. And they tend to defend almost everything their player does. So why would it be so far fetched to assume that there are more who feel the same but are not open about it?

I don't know why people on here are so surprised when this phenomenon is mentioned. This is a very real thing, it coincides with fantasy football/basketball becoming so popular and player power. Those are the only sports I follow but it's probably happening in other sports too.

Not what I said though is it. You specifically said if you defend Pogba in a certain issue then you are likely a fan of the player before the club. Which I then said its dangerous to assume such because someone has a different opinion and that was it.

 

[Patrick08]

Cafe is so sensitive to these comments, it ain't much different than ronaldo saying may be I will return to united in the future but I am happy at the moment where I am.

I dont think In this current climate real Madrid can afford to spend world record money on a player like that who does have limitations to his game and certainly pogba wouldn't reject a offer to raise his salary and contract when he is due. I see nothing in it but rumours which benefit every paper out there.

 

[Janson]

Not what I said though is it. You specifically said if you defend Pogba in a certain issue then you are likely a fan of the player before the club. Which I then said its dangerous to assume such because someone has a different opinion and that was it.

Well yeah if it's an extreme opinion which almost no one else agrees with, and is in line with what someone with bias in favor of Pogba would likely come up with, then I would be suspicious. That doesn't mean that I would assume that about anyone who doesn't agree with me. In fact, I think most who defend Pogba have reasonable points.

 

[nameischarles]

There’s nothing wrong with what he said. It was just bad timing with how he said it but it’s inevitable he will leave at some point. However as long as we are winning, the ambition and goals with the club are positive then I’m sure he won’t leave for sometime.

 

[.Rossi]

Well yeah if it's an extreme opinion which almost no one else agrees with, and is in line with what someone with bias in favor of Pogba would likely come up with, then I would be suspicious. That doesn't mean that I would assume that about anyone who doesn't agree with me. In fact, I think most who defend Pogba have reasonable points.

Not when he's defended for stuff like the Wolves equaliser or his frustrating inconsistency

The quality of players that he's used to with France are not around him at United. I get that argument though. A lot of players don't seem to read his passes a lot of the times

 

[Janson]

Not when he's defended for stuff like the Wolves equaliser or his frustrating inconsistency

The quality of players that he's used to with France are not around him at United. I get that argument though. A lot of players don't seem to read his passes a lot of the times

The Wolves equaliser is exactly the kind of extreme opinion I was talking about.

 

[Cassidy]

The Wolves equaliser is exactly the kind of extreme opinion I was talking about.

I don't necessarily defend him losing the ball thats his mistake, however I do think that a CM losing the ball on the half way line for an attacking side should not lead to a goal. Otherwise our CMs won't take many risks.

 

[Champagne Football]

Loyalty and Keane is an oxymoron. Keane who literally walked out on his country in Saipan because the standards weren't as high as he was used to, or Keane who was so loyal to his teammates he publicly laid in to them and caused his demise at the club? That Keane? Ok then...

7 PL Titles
4 FA Cups
1 Champions League
1 PFA POTY award voted no. 1 best player in the league by fellow professionals and managers

Voted in the PFA team of the century

He made more appearances for his country than both Giggs and Scholes did. If you've been paying attention to what's been happening with Ireland's head of football organization the past few days you'll understand that Keane is not the only one who was disgusted by how things were/are being run.

Fergie once said about him 'To my mind he was the best player in all my time here, fantastic."

Yeah you're right, his loyalty to Man Utd was very questionable.

 

[Janson]

I don't necessarily defend him losing the ball thats his mistake, however I do think that a CM losing the ball on the half way line for an attacking side should not lead to a goal. Otherwise our CMs won't take many risks.

Of course he should do what he is good at and that includes taking risks. The reason he is being blamed for it is because it has happened several times and people get frustrated. I think it's ok to criticise him for his bad performances and still acknowledge that he is generally one of the best midfielders in the world.

 

[Cassidy]

Of course he should do what he is good at and that includes taking risks. The reason he is being blamed for it is because it has happened several times and people get frustrated. I think it's ok to criticise him for his bad performances and still acknowledge that he is generally one of the best midfielders in the world.

Doesn't make the goal his fault though, criticising someone for losing the ball and saying the goal is their fault is quite different. Losing the ball on your halfway line as a CM should not lead to a goal conceded. Again its just differing opinions though. He should be criticised for losing the ball, but then the defenders have to be criticised for not preventing the goal. If he did that and we didn't have defenders behind, like he was the last man etc then of course goal is his fault.

 

[Janson]

Doesn't make the goal his fault though, criticising someone for losing the ball and saying the goal is their fault is quite different. Losing the ball on your halfway line as a CM should not lead to a goal conceded. Again its just differing opinions though. He should be criticised for losing the ball, but then the defenders have to be criticised for not preventing the goal. If he did that and we didn't have defenders behind, like he was the last man etc then of course goal is his fault.

Of course it's not entirely his fault, but it is partly due to him. The reason he is criticised more loudly than the defenders in those instances is probably because he is our best, most expensive player and the centre of attention. So people expect better from him. I agree with you that losing the ball in that area shouldn't lead to a goal, but when it does then that play from Pogba will always be more scrutinized.

 

[Janson]

I don't really blame him if he wants to leave tbh. Would he be saying things like this if we actually managed to build a contending team around him? I'm not sure he would.

 

[clarkydaz]

He is in a very good situation. We need him more than he needs us

 

[sam147]

I don't really blame him if he wants to leave tbh. Would he be saying things like this if we actually managed to build a contending team around him? I'm not sure he would.

Rooney wanted to leave because of the exact same thing. De Gea wanted to leave because of his GF but also because of the team around him. Now it will be Pogba. Woodward is quick to snap up his latest marketing ploy but didn't have any planning on how to keep him. All top clubs know top players want to play with the best, Woodward signed Dalot, Grant and Fred and thought it is good enough.

 

[SAFMUTD]

Can't really blame him if he wants to leave for Madrid, he has been here for 3 years and we are not even close to competing at the highest level. This is football, you either have a competing team or your best players will leave. We can't really expect to retain world class players if we don't act like a world class team.

 

[Sterling Archer]

He is in a very good situation. We need him more than he needs us

Exactly. We're quick to blame Raiola. But Paul's a smart kid. He's the gem in our crown and getting to the stage where we should renew his contract and show we're back in the business of contending for titles. I really hope we don't try to wait this one out and just give him more than expected.

 

[Suedesi]

Couldn't care less - a decent offer say 180-200 and he should be off.

 

[Majima]

Couldn't care less - a decent offer say 180-200 and he should be off.

I cannot understand this viewpoint. Please explain why you feel so relaxed?

You couldn't care less that our No.1 player who the team without any doubt, relies on for absolutely everything potentially wants out?

Considering our recent history with how hard we find it to acquire top players, that is very, very strange to me.

Also, remember that Coutinho cost Barcelona 140million euros once they had Neymar money. He's nowhere near Pogba's level.

That 200mil, it doesn't mean jack in the hands of our incompetent board.

 

[Champagne Football]

I cannot understand this viewpoint. Please explain why you feel so relaxed?

You couldn't care less that our No.1 player who the team without any doubt, relies on for absolutely everything potentially wants out?

Considering our recent history with how hard we find it to acquire top players, that is very, very strange to me.

Also, remember that Coutinho cost Barcelona 140million euros once they had Neymar money. He's nowhere near Pogba's level.

That 200mil, it doesn't mean jack in the hands of our incompetent board.

Will be hard to keep a player with only 2 years left on his contract who wants out. Real will go in for him if they can offload some underperforming stars who still have value like Benzema, Bale, Varane, Kovacic, Isco, Courtois. Selling those 6 would give them perhaps £230 million which will mostly cover the cost of Mane, Pogba and De Gea.
Then they'd cover the 200+ million for Mbappe with their transfer budget.

I hope Pogba stays but he can be replaced if we have no choice - Tanguy Ndombele, Rabiot, Coutinho, Eriksen etc

 

[Bastian]

Will be hard to keep a player with only 2 years left on his contract who wants out. Real will go in for him if they can offload some underperforming stars who still have value like Benzema, Bale, Varane, Kovacic, Isco, Courtois. Selling those 6 would give them perhaps £230 million which will mostly cover the cost of Mane, Pogba and De Gea.
Then they'd cover the 200+ million for Mbappe with their transfer budget.

I hope Pogba stays but he can be replaced if we have no choice - Tanguy Ndombele, Rabiot, Coutinho, Eriksen etc

You think they'll get some special discount? If Pogba doesn't sign a new deal this summer I could see us getting close to 200m for him, or part-exchange quality and cash. Why would Liverpool sell Mane? And even if they did, they'd be asking for Coutinho money or more for him. De Gea might go for

I'd say it's pretty much comparable, yeah. Keane was the first to push the club to the brink to get what he wanted, which Pogba is most likely in the process of doing right now. Both are selfish actions borne from men who think rather highly of themselves.

I don't know if you were around back then, but I distinctly remember the rest of the country being up in arms over his wage demands. £50k a week was literally unheard of in the league back then, and there was plenty of hand-ringing from the press pack and other clubs over what it would mean to the rest of the country. Bear in mind, the minimum wage had just recently been introduced back then - a paltry £7-odd per hour, so just imagine what everyone else was saying about Keane and Utd when the average Joe had just about got his due's worth from employers, and that too below the rate of inflation.

Listen, seriously, I couldn't give a toss if he stayed or left - like @Zlatattack says, I don't begrudge anyone leaving the club. I'm beyond the age of the fanboy that I was back in the late-90s and early-00s, and I see the game for what it is. It is literally just a profession to the players, rather than something they live and breathe for. So, if you think because Pogba is playing games in the press he shouldn't be captain, then frankly you need to grow up (if I'm right in assuming you were around at the time that Keane threw his strop) and smell the coffee. There are plenty of captains for teams around us who literally get it by default, we've got Antonio "can't speak a lick of English" Valencia as ours, FFS! So this pontificating about the supposed sanctity of the armband here needs to stop. Keane being a selfish, egotistical twat didn't stop him from being a damn good captain for us for a good few years; and it likely won't preclude Pogba from being ours in due course either.


Loyalty and Keane is an oxymoron. Keane who literally walked out on his country in Saipan because the standards weren't as high as he was used to, or Keane who was so loyal to his teammates he publicly laid in to them and caused his demise at the club? That Keane? Ok then...

I remember it well. It was about being paid what he could be paid elsewhere. At the moment United is pretty much a free-for-all cash-grab for players who aren't anywhere near world class as well as players who are approaching top quality. If you followed Keane's comments in those days, he wanted the club to sign top quality players, he wanted us to sign them from a position of strength (like in '99 when we replaced Schmeichel with Bosnich and did nothing more in Europe for years). Loyalty and Keane is most certainly not an oxymoron. He played time and again through the pain barrier and put his body on the line for the club. I won't comment on the grow up comment.

Will be hard to keep a player with only 2 years left on his contract who wants out. Real will go in for him if they can offload some underperforming stars who still have value like Benzema, Bale, Varane, Kovacic, Isco, Courtois. Selling those 6 would give them perhaps £230 million which will mostly cover the cost of Mane, Pogba and De Gea.
Then they'd cover the 200+ million for Mbappe with their transfer budget.

I hope Pogba stays but he can be replaced if we have no choice - Tanguy Ndombele, Rabiot, Coutinho, Eriksen etc

You think they'll get some special discount? If Pogba doesn't sign a new deal this summer I could see us getting close to 200m for him, or part-exchange quality and cash. Why would Liverpool sell Mane? And even if they did, they'd be asking for Coutinho money or more for him. De Gea might go for 50m if he finally tires of the clubs reluctance to pay him what he feels he's worth.

 

[predator]

I haven't read a single post in this thread but for what it's worth I think Pogba will stay with us until he he isn't good enough to be a starter (however I cannot comment on his aspirations regarding Madrid and Zidane).

I can only comment on what I've seen by him in regards to his attitude towards the club. He left a Juve side who would've beat us 9/10 times. For some reason he loves the club, he's close with alot of lads who played with him in the youth team. He speaks Manc, has a Manc driving license and he adores the likes of lingard, Rashford and still stays in touch with the Keane brothers and many others he used to play alongside with. To me he is one of ours and that's ultimately why I will defend him to the hilt.

I remember watching him a few times at moss lane in altrincham and I actually felt sorry for some opposition players who could not get near him.

 

[clarkydaz]

People are assuming he will stay long term and play beneath his earning potential because he likes the club? This is the mess we are in with degea and herrera.

Its not like keane era, we were challenging for all trophies then

 

[NJM78]

I think he will stay one more year and if we go next season without a league or CL, which I'm sure we will, he will want out. I don't think he will be in a hurry to sign another contract either.

Obviously, all just my opinion but this summer must be near perfect in terms of recruitment, managerial appointment and hopefully some restructuring with a DOF. I just do not see us winning major honours for years to come if we do not address these. Pogba, De Gea etc probably feel the same.