sport news Manchester United are better off without Paul Pogba after self-indulgent ... trends now
It was the title of the show that really gave it away. It wasn't just a documentary about Paul Pogba. It was called 'The Pogmentary'. It sums up the career of a talented player that has left many divided. A player who is often accused of putting more focus on his new haircuts and his Instagram account than his playing career.
This insight into him as a man and footballer does nothing to dispel that image. Across five episodes, clocking in at around 2 hours and 30 minutes, fans will learn little more about the midfielder than they didn't already know.
The documentary kicks off in the most Paul Pogba way possible - opening with a comic-book style cartoon of his early life as a footballer, narrated by the player himself, navigating viewers through the obstacles he has faced in his career before we are introduced to the most important people in his life.
Paul Pogba's new documentary has lifted a lid on the player's private life and his true feelings towards Manchester United amid a turbulent few years
His wife Zulay, his late agent Mino Raiola and lawyer Rafaela Pimenta all play a focal point in the narrative and adding layers to already familiar stories.
At times, the show feels like an angry retort to Pogba's doubters during his turbulent time at Manchester United. Taking place over the course of a year from summer 2021, the Frenchman makes it crystal clear how intent he was on leaving Old Trafford and his frustrations with the hierarchy.
The stars of the show - aside from Pogba - are the late Raiola and Pimenta. Pogba is backed up from their accounts on every issue he has had in his career. Criticism of his performances, failed talks with United - from both his spells there - his injuries and his image.
His show called 'The Pogmentary' discusses his desire to leave United, struggles with injury and being in the spotlight
This felt like a great opportunity to end his United career on a high note and appease some fans who had given up on him in the build up to his acrimonious departure on a free transfer for a second time - but it's a real misfire in that regard.
Pogba instead focuses on his family, his friends, the French national team and his many hobbies and passions. Pretty much everything other than United.
In fact, whenever United are mentioned, it's usually a sly dig at the club and his unhappiness at Old Trafford - told through heated phone calls with Raiola. We are often reminded about how he has always 'given his all' for United, though there is a feeling throughout this that the club owes him something.
In one segment, while discussing United's attempts to tie him down to a new contract, Pogba hits out at their 'nothing' offer - despite putting £300,000-a-week on the table.
'They're bluffing,' he says while on a call with his agent. 'How can you tell a player you absolutely want him and offer him nothing? Never seen that.
'Playing is all that matters, winning too. My thought process is to show Manchester they shouldn't have waited this long to offer a contract and to show other clubs that Manchester made a mistake in not offering a contract.
Pogba does not shy away from criticising United after leaving the club on a free transfer
His late agent Mino Raiola (L) and lawyer Rafaela Pimento (R) are the real stars of the show
Raiola and Pimenta insist throughout the whole show that United value Pogba highly and want him to stay, yet there is still a feeling of disdain for the club. The 29-year-old compares their bid to keep him to a man making a poor attempt to chase a woman he's interested in.
'When you really want a girl, you to do everything to get her,' he says. 'You don't wait til she wants to leave, you come back to get here, that's it.
'Players have to feel important at their clubs and they have to feel important in their teams. If you don't have that, it's over.
'I came back from injury, they didn't help me, they didn't care how I was feeling. So I had to go to the national team to get my confidence back.'
The French midfielder says United didn't support him when injured or make him feel important
The documentary feels like a missed opportunity to end his United career on a high note
His battles with injury are also highlighted, as you would expect, but once again he opts to point the finger at United and criticise them for not giving him support - claiming he was forced to seek help from the France team to recover from a particular problem.
'Players have to feel important in their clubs and they have to feel important in their teams. If you don't have that, it's over. I came back from injury, [United] didn't help me, they didn't care how I was feeling. So I had to go to the national team to get my confidence back.'
Man United vs France - that has been a constant theme of Pogba's time at United and the tension is felt here. Pogba has long been accused of making more effort for Les Bleus than United and in his documentary, he spends around 10-15 minutes in total talking about his memories of playing for United.
The second and third episodes are almost entirely devoted to discussing his upbringing in France and playing for the national team at major tournaments - with episode three focused on his time at Euro 2020 with France.
Pogba insists the France team helped get his confidence back during the documentary - with Raiola claiming he is 'the real Pogba' when playing for Les Bleus
Dotted around that, the point is consistently hammered home that Pogba is unhappy an uncertain about his future as he slyly makes references to an exit - saying he 'might not be here next season', and even mentioning PSG's club
