Manchester United can thank Jose Mourinho for Paul Pogba
Jose Mourinho’s arrival at Manchester United paved the way for Paul Pogba’s return to Old Trafford
Unless you’ve been living under a rock somewhere, you know by now that Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is headed back to Manchester United on a record transfer deal. What you may not realize, is that Jose Mourinho’s arrival at United was the first step towards bringing the talented French midfielder back to the Premier League.
Manchester United fans around the world are celebrating the impending signing of Pogba for a reported transfer fee in excess of 100 million pounds. Whether or not Pogba (or any football player) should be worth that fee is really irrelevant here. The important thing is that United have finally coaxed another superstar in his prime to call Old Trafford home.
If you are under the impression that Pogba is coming back to England just because of the allure of playing for United again then you’re quite mistaken. The very reason that Pogba even entertained the idea of coming back to Manchester United is because Jose Mourinho is the manager.
Simply put, this transaction wasn’t going to happen with the likes of David Moyes or Louis van Gaal at the helm. Manchester United needed to send an emphatic signal to players around the world that they were once again serious about winning football matches. The hiring of the ultimate pragmatist as their manager made that abundantly clear.
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Mourinho doesn’t have the stately elegance of Sir Alex Ferguson or even the alleged attacking philosophy of a manager like van Gaal. What he does have, is a clear plan for success at United and a clear dedication to winning football matches at all costs. He isn’t at Old Trafford to win friends, he’s there to win silverware.
That sort of unabashed ambition may not sit well with United fans in the long run but it’s done them a huge favor with Pogba. He and his camp are savvy enough to understand that Mourinho likely won’t be a long-term manager at the club. His history clearly shows that three years is about the longest tenure anyone should expect. His history also shows that he’s going to win silverware during his time at the club.
Manchester United always have the necessary finances and tradition to sign big-name players but they’ve missed out on key signings over the last several season because of their incompetent managers. Mourinho can be accused of a great many things, but gross incompetence is not one of them.
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Manchester United fans can cheer their hearts out when Pogba is formally announced at Old Trafford, but a subtle nod needs to go to Jose Mourinho at the same time. The Special One’s arrival at the club made the fantastic Pogba return possible.