FORMER Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has said that Manchester United captain Paul Pogba should not be at Old Trafford after admitting having a blase attitude in their 3-2 Premier League defeat at Brighton.
The ex-Celtic boss pulled no punches over the French World Cup winner saying that he is "no more than a smashing player".
But Strachan went on a rant over Pogba's after-match interview in which the French midfielder conceded he carried a complacent attitude into Sunday’s Amex Stadium clash, shouldering the blame for the Red Devils’ loss.
“We lost and the attitude that we had today was that we deserved to win,” Pogba said.
“I put myself first. My attitude wasn’t right enough. We’ll keep trying and keep pushing and obviously it’s a lesson for us.”
“The attitude that we had was not like we wanted to beat them. They had more anger than us and that showed on the pitch.
“We made mistakes we shouldn’t make. The attitude has to be right and we missed that today.”
Strachan, a former Manchester United winger, could not hide his disgust at Pogba's comments saying he was "reeling" from what he said.
"If I was in the dressing room I would be saying to Paul Pogba, I hope you are not talking for me, by the way.
"To be fair, he shouldn't be in that dressing room. This is Manchester United. I just heard you on that? I'm not having that. I gave my best."
He added: "I've never heard anyone, especially a captain saying, not just at Manchester United, anybody, that they didn't give enough today. I just can't believe that."
He said on the Kick Off show on Talksport hosted by Sam Matterface: "I think he has the highest transfer fee, is probably one of the highest earners and he is the captain. I'll tell you what you do then, you become the personality not on Instagram and not getting your picture taken, you become THE person, all round the club.
"You become the hardest worker, you become the best teammate you can be, you set a standard that everybody follows. That's what you do when you're the captain at Manchester United.
"You're the best trainer, best player, most highly driven, that's your responsibility as a captain, but especially at Manchester United.
"I've been in a situation where people are screaming and shouting at each other and you're this and you're that. But I've never ever heard a player from any club, saying I didn't turn up.
"First of all, if I am the captain, [I am saying] we're going to win this game of football because the eyes of the world are on us. Now I've got to be at my maximum and I'm gonna drag one or two of you that are maybe not as good as me [with me]. But, I tell you, this is where we're going. You follow me, you'll be all right.
"Then to suddenly go, well I didn't really turn up. I don't get that... it's a conversation I thought I'd never ever have about Manchester United, not ever, about any player that joins Manchester United.
"As a footballer, you have to have a fear of getting beaten. That fear of getting beaten will automatically kick you into giving your best. If he's not got a fear of getting beaten, then you will maybe step down a level."
Strachan also questioned why the French international "very rarely" ever got a Premier League man of the match award.
"When you are talking about the Messis, Ronaldos, Iniestas, and Silva they get man of the match [awards] on many occasions.
"For that type of personality with what you pay for and the hype, very rarely is Pogba the man of the match, where he takes the game by the scruff of the neck.
"Even when he's had a shot at goal, and someone says, 'well at least he's trying', he's had A shot. Their clutching at straws looking for things that he does great.
"I think he's a smashing player. No more than a smashing player."
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