“This must be the law of diminishing returns” – Tom Stoppard, Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern are dead.
The mystery of Paul Pogba and his incredible career at Manchester United, which ended six years later, may baffle the confidence of super detective Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Ironside and Colombo.
The Frenchman was the British record worth 93.2 million British pounds (then), declared a coup for United when he joined in the summer of 2016. The richly talented footballer, who became a four-time Serie A winner and a Champions League finalist with Juventus and Euro Runner-up for 2016 with France. He was two years away from World Cup fame, scoring a superb left-footed shot in the 4-2 final triumph over Croatia, and later footage of the team’s arousing conversation before the final, which identified him as a bona fide leader.
For United, there were only flashes of that glitter and stardust. Acquiring it proved a coup that never happened. Pogba certainly didn’t score, but he failed to dazzle constantly like Kevin De Bruyne or Bernardo Silva for Manchester City.
In the era after Sir Alex Ferguson, United were desperately looking for a totem player who could pull his teammates to the required level on his own. The expectation was almost ridiculous: it was as if Pogba could be Quasi-Diego Maradona, who, as the Argentine did for Napoli from 1984-1991, will transform United into a series champion.
Instead, the opposite happened. The more Pogba considered himself a savior, the more he seemed disappointed. This was the law of diminishing returns. United broke down on and off the field. Pogba’s performance schedule flickered only occasionally. Why? Because he was surrounded by mediocrity. In his first campaign in the Premier League, his midfielder was 32-year-old Bastian Schweinsteiger, whose peak had long since passed and who would be banished to the reserves by Jose Mourinho. Another, Morgan Schneiderlin, will receive a three-time league deputy from the manager. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was 34, but contributed 17 goals in the league. The next highest: Juan Mata with six and then Pogba, together third, with an insignificant five.
Was it his job to score more? Was he an attacker? An intriguer? Dynamo from box to box? Silky-smooth ruthless assassin a la Silva or Silva’s namesake David, who also graced City’s XI titles?
No one in the United dugout seemed to know. Nor the fans and experts. For this observer, it was an X-Factor act, and the deadly irony of leaving Pogba is that it happens just as Eric ten Haag enters, looking to add exactly the alpha player that Pogba may be the best.
Paul Pogba scores a goal for Manchester United in Manchester City in April 2018. Photo: Russell Cheyne / Reuters
Ten Hag’s burning priority is to raise the midfield – and the team. Put Pogba on the side of the City and he will have De Bruyne, Silva, Rodri, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, Ruben Diaz and others. If Pogba left another club and is available for free Ten Hag, he would ask United’s football director, John Murtow, to put the 29-year-old on his list along with Barcelona midfielder Frankie de Jong.
Except, no. United were there, they did that. Pogba leaves with a broken flush – according to an unwavering group of experts, supporters and warriors on social media, whose ultimate criticism of him highlights their inability to grasp the nuance of why he “failed”.
Pogba has become the undeserved boy of posters of a farcical poorly run club that has not come close to a record 20 league titles since his arrival or in the three seasons before. Pogba had to put an end to this; but it has always been an incredible dream. Instead, Pogba was disgraced, as if wearing a variety of colorful hairstyles and offering a beautiful permanent smile.
It is true that he did not dominate the midfield or kill opponents from the broad left or number 10, in which he was appointed by Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskyar and Ralph Rangnik: three managers who believed he could do it and were disappointed.
When Ranknik took over last November, Pogba was injured and would be out until early February. As the player was running out of contract and did not want to sign a new one, Ranknik was negligent. “I wouldn’t say it’s not worth detaining,” he said. “But players have to want to play for a big club like Manchester United.”
Fans of Manchester United to a mural by Paul Pogba last October before the 5-0 home defeat by Liverpool, in which he was expelled. Photo: Martin Rickett / PA
The subtext is left here. Pogba began to see United as no longer a “big club” that could win the title or any trophy – the last was the Europa League in 2017, in which Pogba scored in the final. Ranknik’s position came in December. By February, his tone had changed – perhaps he was enchanted by how much better Pogba was than the rest of the team in training. The interim manager sounded delighted with what Pogba could contribute. “I’ll be glad to see how Paul does,” he said. He can show me and the team, the fans and everyone in England what a high level he can play.
It never happened. The 2-0 victory over Ajax in the Europa League final was the focus. As was the choice for the 2018-19 Professional Footballers’ Association team of the year (Pogba scored 13 times – high division midfielder): he was the only player not to be with City, the title holders or Liverpool who finished second, voted from his colleagues for inclusion.
On Instagram on Monday, Pogba said: “I feel privileged to have played for this club. Many beautiful moments and memories, but the most important thing is unconditional support from the fans. Thank you.”
“Unconditional” was certainly snipe in response to those who were constantly driving it. Pogba leaves as he arrived: an extremely elegant footballer in search of a country that matches.
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