Former Manchester United youth coach Paul McGuinness has told that Paul Pogba was like Pied Piper in his academy days at Old Trafford.
Paul Pogba’s return to Manchester United has excited everyone associated with the club including the ones who are no longer present at the club but were there during the former Juventus superstar’s academy times at United. Pogba joined Juventus for a paltry compensation of £800,000 and has gone on to become one of the best midfielders in Europe before re-joining his former home involving a world-record transfer fee of £89m.
The 23-year-old is in line to make his “second debut” for Manchester United this Friday against Southampton at Old Trafford as Jose Mourinho pointed out that the French superstar has been able to “adapt to the club easily as he knows the club and the staff”.
Former Manchester United youth coach Paul McGuinness talked to The Times to shine some light on Paul Pogba’s time in the academy as he revealed what he thought of the French international when he arrived for the first time at United.
“The first time I saw him, all 6-foot-3 of him, I thought, ‘Wow, he looks the part.’ I quickly saw he had got the skills as well as the physique. He had quick footwork, great ball skills, timing, the ability to drop his shoulder and he had a lot of confidence, too,” Paul said to the Times.
McGuinness, who left the club after a string of poor results last season, added that Pogba showed his real class and skill-set in the infamous 13-a-side “cage matches” which were the norm in the academy back then.
He said,“ We’d mix the age groups so he would be 16 playing against 18-year-olds and some younger players, like Marcus Rashford and Adnan Januzaj. He would nutmeg players, pull off tricks and flicks. They would all try to copy him, he was like the Pied Piper. They were all mates. It was like they were a band of brothers.”
Manchester United fans are eagerly waiting to witness the return of their prodigal son at Old Trafford as Paul Pogba gears up for a second homecoming against Southampton on Friday night.
