Gary Breen believes Jose Mourinho’s lack of trust in his defence has negatively impacted Paul Pogba’s influence at Manchester United.
The Red Devils midfielder lifted the World Cup with France after enduring a season of mixed fortunes at Old Trafford under Mourinho.
Les Bleus boss, Didier Deschamps, has been heralded as an example of a coach who has been able to get the best out of a player who joined for a world record fee back in 2016.
Pogba has been linked with moves to Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain as talk of his strained relationship with Mourinho continues to heighten.
But Breen insists that Pogba’s failure to hit the heights in the Premier League is because of a weak rear-guard rather than any lack of talent or effort on the part of the Frenchman.
“I know the critics would probably say that but I think you have to have a bit of understanding,” Breen told Off The Ball.
“This is a massive year for Mourinho. We’re judging him on the impact he had on Chelsea in those two spells and how quick he put his mark on that team.
“I’m not convinced that he loves this Manchester United team. I still don’t believe he trusts them. The very fact they’re hunting down a centre-half shows you that despite bringing in the likes of [Victor] Lindelof and [Eric] Bailly in consecutive summers – he still hasn’t found that solution at centre-half.
Harry Maguire has been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford. Image: Elmar Kremser/SVEN SIMON/DPA/PA Images
“I don’t think he rates or trusts [Chris] Smalling or [Phil] Jones. And I would agree with him there. I wouldn’t look at them as title winning centre-halves, certainly not in the same way that I would look at John Terry at Chelsea or [Sergio] Ramos at Real Madrid.
“And I think the problem he was with Pogba – and trying to keep him disciplined – is when he does go running out of position, he exposes those centre-halves who are not of the quality to deal with one against one situations like he’s had before at top clubs.
“If he doesn’t get [Maguire] who he is obviously looking at, he’ll look someone like [Gary] Cahill or Yerry Mina at Barcelona. These are the type of guys who give you that physicality. Those centre-halves who head every ball clear and I don’t think Smalling or Jones do that consistently enough.
“He’s been quite vocal in saying he wants Maguire. Manchester United will dominate possession so they will be higher up the pitch and they’ll leave space in behind Maguire.
“I don’t rule him out of going to Manchester United and being a success. But there are scenarios where you don’t want Maguire faced up with the top strikers in the deep stages of European competition on the edge of his box because he will be found out.”
James Hopper
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