Sports
Pogba to Mourinho: Let me be HAPPY and I’ll produce for Manchester United
Paul Pogba has started the season with a simple message for Jose Mourinho – stop attacking me and I’ll be free to deliver everything for Manchester United.
The French World Cup winner has an uneasy relationship with Old Trafford boss Mourinho triggering talks of a summer exit with Pogba’s agent Mina Raiola desperate to move him to Barcelona.
United’s owners and internal hierarchy at Old Trafford have no interest in selling Pogba.
Although Mourinho struggles with Pogba’s celebrity status and flashy exterior, senior club figures see him as the essential stellar star to lead United’s quest to be champions again after a five year wait for the League title.
Mourinho clashed with Pogba several times last season and even after his World Cup triumph in Russia the United boss riled the Frenchman and his camp by challenging him to play the same way every week in the Premier League.
Pogba clearly wants an end to the sniping and reckons more love and a less destructive narrative from Mourinho will benefit everyone.
And as United’s season kicked off with victory over Leicester Pogba’s mighty display showcased his special talent – and brought some straight talking from the intelligent £89million midfield power-house.
“You have to know one thing. You have to know one thing – a player that gets chosen and is happy, you always feel more comfortable than when he’s not happy” said Pogba.
“That’s all I say. After the World Cup I am the same. I am the same. It’s the same Paul Pogba.
“It’s a different team, obviously.
“I still enjoying playing football, I still love football and I still give my best with the team, for the team.
“Like I said, when you are comfortable, when people trust you and have confidence then you are good in your own head and it’s going to be easier.”
Pogba and Mourinho will never be bosom buddies. And throughout all his media duties after the Leicester win he never mentioned his manager once.
“I always give my best for the fans, for the team-mates and for the people that trust me” said Pogba.
Despite talk of wanting a new £350,000 deal to have parity with Alexis Sanchez, Pogba – on around £200,000-a-week – insists his life is about happiness not money.
“If you’re not happy in doing what you’re doing right now, there’s no point doing it” he says.
“If you’re doing it for money, there’s a point about doing things for money, but there’s a point about doing things because you love it.
“If you are enjoying what you do you give your the best. But if you’re not happy, you cannot give your best.”
That’s a clear indication his relationship with Mourinho has affected his happiness at the club and his ability to turn in the kind of dominant display he gave against Leicester.
That came after just four days training following his summer break.
And although left-back Luke Shaw – one of Mourinho’s other whipping boys – was made man-of-the-match for his win-clinching first ever goal for United it was Pogba’s drive, determination, influence and leadership that were key to victory.
“It’s three points, it’s what we wanted so I’m very happy. Of course the performance wasn’t the best, but it’s better to start like this and finish well then start very well and finish bad.
“Some of us, me included, didn’t have a lot of training and we played a game.
“After 30 minutes I was out of breath and I told one of the staff to put some water on the side, but he didn’t, so I couldn’t go and drink.
“But it’s okay. The stamina was okay but my legs lost some power. Hopefully I will be back soon fit, very fit, 100 per cent fit.
“We knew we were not going to be fit, 100 per cent, but the aim and most important thing was to start well the Premier League and we did that.”
Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.
Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.
The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.
Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.
The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”
Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.
In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.
Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.
His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.
Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.
While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.
The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.
The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.
On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.
The player’s entourage declined to comment.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.
The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.
Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
Testosterone promotes muscle development.
Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.
Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.
In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.
Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.
The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.
Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.
Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.
His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
After the first sample tested positive on September 11, Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.
“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.
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