Or maybe Pogba was already demanding too much?
effectively Paul Scholes un-retiring took up Pogba's squad place (or liklihood of playing anyway) I think that was Jan'12 when he came back wasnt it, and Pogba left in July '12?
Hindsight is always a 100%, there are enough other youngsters who have been released in the same kind of time frame that didnt look that different in the EPL for us and have gone on to do ***** all
But most of them were given a chance.
Take Gibson, went on loan and had 15 starts at Wolves, came back to Utd and got 9 starts, 5 subs appearances first season, 12 starts 11 subs the next season, 14 starts 7 sub the next season, then finally started 2 games then sold to Everton(or loaned initially?) in Jan.
Utd have given many crap players a stupid amount of chances before getting shot, so even if Pogba looked "meh", he really should also have been given those chances like any other player they test in the first team. I would struggle to believe that considering within a month at Juve he was playing consistent games and within 4-5 months he became a solid first team starter... that he really could have looked anything other than rather special the previous season with Utd. But again, even if pretty average or even poor, Utd have given such players WAY more chances than they gave Pogba. Ultimately they shouldn't have let his contract get so short, and had they given him more games he'd likely be a massive influence on that team in central mid.
I personally think Utd/Fergie were the arrogant ones, I think they were trying to get him to sign a relatively low contract offer as a bit part player rather than play him for 10 games, show how good he was and then his agent/himself could negotiate a far better contract. I think that because not much else makes sense. They offered him a contract, they obviously wanted him to stay, they obviously thought he was showing a lot of promise. Remember that it wasn't JUST Utd he played for various French youth teams, moving up the levels and being highly rated all around.
Fergie said this
Ferguson confirmed that Pogba would feature with the senior team during the season, stating: "I mean if we hold Pogba back, what's going to happen? He's going to leave. You know, in a couple of years' time when his contract is going to finish. So we have to give him the opportunity to see how he can do in the first-team and he's got great ability".
So Fergie knew contract was short, knew he'd leave and knew he HAD to play him otherwise he'd just leave... and yet didn't give him the opportunity. Even before being officially part of the first team squad Fergie was talking about his ability and showing he didn't want him to leave.
It really is a baffling situation, if this was an unknown kid who turned brilliant out of nowhere then that is bad luck. but this was a kid rated across Europe, who Fergie singled out as good and stated he knew he'd have to give him game time to keep him... and then just didn't.
It comes back once again to, I simply can't believe he looked bad enough to let him walk when 5 months later he's pretty much first team. Regardless of if you think Italian football is good, first team at Juve is impressive. Also, Utd wanted to keep him. I really do lean towards the Utd wanting to commit him to a contract before effectively turning him into a "star". Effectively if he had a season like at Juve, starting slowly and ending up first team but with his contract up, a dozen clubs across europe would have offered him Hazard style wages to sign and it would have cost Utd a lot more.
), or to suggest he's a bit difficult to work with and were maybe justified. Generally speaking when a huge talent leaves on a free the club who loses out will try and make it seem less bad.
, only when it suits are they not 'bigger than the team'
