Jose Mourinho's press conference today was one that the football world watched with bated breath as the Portugese gave his thoughts on Paul Pogba following the recent tensions between the pair.
Mourinho stripped Pogba of the vice captaincy at the club and explained to the media that the decision 'took weeks of analysis':
After weeks of analysing and exchanging opinions with my coaching staff, we made the decision that from now Paul is just a player and not a captain. So, the decision is made.
The 55-year-old then insisted that their relationship is 'good', before pointedly saying "It is not any more a relationship between captain - or one of the captains - and manager."
Despite their recent issues the United boss confirmed that Pogba will play against West Ham at the weekend:
I am really happy with his work this week. He trained really well. The team needs good players. He is a good player. The team needs the personality to play. He has. He plays tomorrow.
No player is bigger than the club. If I am happy with his work, he plays. If I am not happy with his work he does not play. I am happy with his work this week, really happy.
The team needs good players. He is a good player. The team needs players with the personality to play. He has [it].
On the footage of his tete-a-tete with the France midfielder Mourinho dismissed the story as a product of the media, insisting that exchanges like that happen all the time in football:
Disruptive? For you (the media), it was amazing, you made an incredible story out of 15 mins of training. What happened on Wednesday happens many times. Was not the case this time, but loud criticism and instruction, coaching is like that.
Mourinho went on to question whether the exchange was even a confrontation, calling his words to the 25-year-old 'loud critiques, loud instructions':
I don't care about the cameras.
What confrontation? It was not a confrontation. Do you think it was a confrontation?
What happened the other day, happens many days. Conversations with players, I have many, many times. It was not the case but loud critiques, loud instruction happens every day. Coaching is about that.
We shall see how Pogba responds to Mourinho's latest thoughts on their relationship in their lunch time kick-off against West Ham on Saturday, as the pressure mounts on both player and manager to start delivering results.
