Manchester United's French midfielder seems to be in trouble with his coach, Jose Mourinho, who has a long list of enemy players

2018 has not been the best year for Manchester United's Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, and for his directed Paul Pogba. The manager decided to dispense with the French player in some matches and this triggered the possible rupture of relations between 'Mou' and Pogba.

The Portuguese coach, the English press, and the fans of Manchester United are impacient due to the irregularity of the most expensive player in the club's history, but he has attributed his low performance to the tactical decisions of the Portuguese. Pogba and Mourinho have begun a race that makes the `Red Devils' shiver.

Pogba against the head

According to several British media, the last day of January marked the chaotic trend in Mourinho-Pogba relationship. That day the Tottenham vs Manchester United game took place, which the London team won by two goals to nil, but the key moment was the heated discussion that Pogba with Mourinho when the player told the coach was not happy with his position on the field. Mourinho replaced the French and dynamited the relationship.

On February 11 the Newcastle vs Manchester United match was disputed, which was won by the black and white team by one goal to nil. When Newcastle scored the winning goal, Manchester United's coach replaced Pogba immediately. "I wanted someone to do the simple things well", said `Mou' to British media. It was a bad time pointing to the French player.

On February 17 the match between Huddersfield Town and Manchester United was played, valid for the fifth round of the FA Cup, and the French player was not even in the call  of the red team Manchester. The `Red Devils' won the match and the press asked the technician by the absence of Pogba, after which the Portuguese replied and revealed a suspicious attitude by the player: "Yesterday he was working normally us prepare the party and communicated eleven team. He was not included. This morning the doctor told me he could not travel. I do not know (what was wrong) and honestly I do not care", said Mourinho, setting off the club's alarms, for the following day the Frenchman returned to training normally.

On February 23rd, the British tabloid 'The Sun' published an article which claimed that Pogba and Mourinho had a meeting in the office of coach which would have totally deteriorated their relationship. According to British media, the French went to the office of the Portuguese coach to communicate their discomfort and several fellow staff because of the tactics used by the coach and the position in which Mourinho makes playing the French. The meeting would have ended with Mourinho motioning Pogba to look at the sign on the door of his office, which says "coach", assuring the French that Mourinho is the boss.

`Mou' and his enemies

It is not the first time the controversial Portuguese coach faces one of his players. When Mourinho led Real Madrid, he had major problems with several players in the squad, of which the most outstanding altercation was the one he had with white legend Iker Casillas.

The beginning of the conflict came after Spain Supercup 2011 when Casillas called his friend of FC Barcelona, Xavi Hernandez, to solve the strong drawbacks of the final. Mourinho felt this as high treason and branded his biography Casillas as a "snitch, mole, traitor, and selfish". Casillas was relegated to the substitution by injury, his career at Real Madrid was delayed and left the team they love to go to Porto of Portugal.

`Mou' also had problems with Pepe in Real Madrid, as the center came to the defense of Casillas, on which Mourinho said that Pepe threw those statements because he resented not being chosen to play. In the `Merengue' team, the coach also had problems with Sergio Ramos, Özil, Cristiano Ronaldo and Pedro Leon. In Mourinho's time at Real Madrid, he made more enemies than titles.

The situation was similar at Chelsea because he had problems with David Luiz, when he said that no one would miss the Brazilian when he left for PSG. With Samuel Eto'o he had a great altercation after the Portuguese mocked the Cameroonian for his age, so the striker responded by celebrating a goal imitating an old man. Mourinho won the title of `The Special One' at Chelsea, but there was not even able to have a good atmosphere.

The great Portuguese tactician has had the opportunity and ease of directing great players and win major championships, but their ability to manage groups of players has been limited on several occasions. Some great players love Mourinho, but also other great ones hate him. `The Special One' seems to have added another world figure to his list of enemies, and the great Pogba, supported by several of his teammates, will not cease to fight this war that has just been unleashed.

Latin American Post | Javier Aldana

Translated from "Pogba: ¿nuevo enemigo de Mourinho?"