Five wins from eight – including victories over Anorthosis and AEK Larnaca has the “Omoniades” dreaming of the title returning. In addition, six clean sheets emphasise how cohesive defensively Henning Berg’s men have become and, believe it or not, only two penalties have been conceded – perhaps the club’s official complaint over questionable refereeing decisions going against them have been noted.
The predatory instincts of “Non Stop Matt” Derbyshire has put the former Blackburn striker into double figures, while Thiago Santos is in top form with four goals and five assists.
Berg’s decision to operate the Brazilian wide left with licence to roam in the middle has paid dividends. Jordi Gomez’s influence cannot be underestimated either. The former Wigan man has been instrumental as of late, scoring a high pressure penalty against AEK and assisting from a corner that turned out to be the winner against title rivals Anorthosis.
A sub par performance in the 2-1 defeat at Apollon Limassol is the only blot on Omonoia’s copybook in this run of games; a defeat that possibly would have been avoided had it not been for a 79th minute howler from goalkeeper Fabiano.
Joao Pedro’s cross from the right looked to be a routine catch for the ‘keeper but he misjudged the flight of the ball, dropping it into the path of Facundo Pereyra who bundled it home. Fabiano’s form, coupled with long term injuries to Konstantinos Panagi and Francis Uzoho, meant Omonoia had to dip into the transfer market for cover.
In came former Manchester City goalkeeper and Romania international Costel Pantilimon on loan until the end of the season. Pantilimon fell down the pecking order at Nottingham Forest but the 6 ft 6 shot stopper has the experience and ability to be a vital cog in Omonoia’s charge for a domestic double.
One point could have been three or zero against APOEL as Omonoia missed a host of chances before Adam Lang conceded an 86th minute penalty. Fortunately, the champions missed from the spot and honours were even.
Berg’s tactical versatility has seen Omonoia line up with various systems. His 4-2-3-1 has worked very well throughout the season, while a 4-4-2 against AEK and 3-5-2 in the Nicosia derby made it extremely difficult for their opponents to break down.
One key ingredient in each system is the swashbuckling runs from the fullbacks. Jan Lecjaks, Charalampos Mavrias and Tomas Hobocan’s overlapping runs cause havoc, and their deliveries from wide areas have contributed to numerous goals.
Momentum and depth are key if Omonoia are to regain the title and the departures of Hen Ezra and Demetris Christofi in January left the club a little short.
Signing Marios Stylianou from Anorthosis reinforces the defensive options and will certainly be called upon when fatigue finally creeps in for the older heads. Christofi’s departure left a bit of a bitter taste in the mouths of some fans. The player’s alleged threats to take legal action if the club refused to cancel his contract was never going to sit right with those who fought tooth and nail with the club to re-sign him from Sion back in 2015.
Midtjyland’s Nigerian forward David Akintola has arrived on loan and the 24 year old’s Champions League and Europa League experience, and eye for goal, could be the difference between winning the title or missing out. Akintola is athletic, quick and has an eye for goal. His hold up play and awareness will only benefit the likes of Bautheac, Thiago, Ortega, Derbyshire and – of course – the full backs.
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Omonoia (for now) have variation in the way they attack opponents and score goals. Their opener against Ethnikos came from a swift counter attack where Thiago’s assist from the left was finished by Matt Derbyshire, whilst the second involved some fantastic interplay between Thiago and Ortega; the latter selling a dummy, putting the defender on his backside and allowing Derbyshire to tuck away his second.
Victory over AEL came courtesy of a fortuitous goal from Derbyshire as a free kick from the right hand side deceived everyone apart from “Non. Stop. Matt”, who put the ball away from two yards out. Granted, the ball went in off his standing leg, not the one he used to take a swing at the ball – but he was there at the right place-right time.
Against Enosis Paralimniou we saw Omonoia’s height advantage pay off from set pieces, as Berg’s decision to pack the six yard box with players over 6ft tall led to the opening goal from – yes, you guessed it, Matt Derbyshire – his seventh goal of the season. Thiago wrapped up the points in the opening minute of the second half, heading in from two yards out after Bautheac’s right footed cross was misjudged by the keeper. Incidentally, all Thiago’s goal contributions have stemmed from the Brazilian’s movement from wide left to central areas. Another experiment from Berg that’s working wonders.
One goal conceded in three games show how resolute Omonoia can be defensively although there are still question marks over their ability to cope with sides that are quick on the counter. At times during the Enosis game, Omonoia overcommitted men forward, leaving their defenders in a two vs three situation.
APOEL is Berg’s toughest test and he’ll no doubt be judged by many fans and the press on the result, irrespective of Omonoia’s overall performance. This is the big one. Omonoia’s cup final. Fans are excited again and they demand a win.
Thiago spoke about the derby at full time against Enosis, saying:
“This game is very important for us because Omonoia hasn’t beaten APOEL for many years, so now it’s our time. The new players have the chance to win this game and make history different.”
Thomas Doll’s APOEL sit in third, four points off the top but with three games in hand. However, whilst APOEL have goals in them all over the pitch, they are by no means water tight defensively.
A full week without any football means Omonoia approach the game with a slight advantage given APOEL’s Europa League exploits, and Berg will want to make the most of tired legs, especially in the final 20 minutes of the derby.
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A surprise 2-1 defeat at Pafos was followed by another shock result, drawing 1-1 against local rivals and third from bottom Olympiacos Nicosia.
Berg told Omonoia’s official YouTube channel: “We didn’t have a good performance against Olympiacos and we have to get back to the level we have been playing at, and I’m sure we will”.
Truth be told, Omonoia played with much more verve, creativity and excitement in the loss at Pafos. It was a laboured and sloppy showing at home to Olympiacos, although the manner in which the goals were conceded in both games appears to be a common theme this season. Berg said: “We have to be strong defensively” – and he’s right. The winner for Pafos and leveller for Olympiacos stemmed from individual errors at the back; ball watching, not tracking the runner and a lack of intensity to win the ball back.
Omonoia’s movement in the final third is easy on the eye and whilst the creative attack minded players are carving out opportunities for Matt Derbyshire, Berg encourages his full backs to push forward and even spread the play out wide or hit diagonal balls and stretch the game. However, breaking a low block appears to be a bit of an issue. Against Olympiacos, Omonoia were limited to half chances, whilst at Pafos they were wasteful in front of goal. Berg is in no way oblivious to this, saying: “We have to use the ball well, create chances and score goals”.
Some in the press have criticised Berg’s tactical changes in key areas, notably his decision to move Thiago onto the left hand side in the second half against Olympiakos – an experiment that failed as the player isn’t suited at all to that position. Others have dug out Berg for the timing of substitutions and also his “lack of ideas in the final third”. Just goes to show how quick the press in Cyprus can turn on a manager. Three weeks ago there was talk of Omonoia being title contenders. Now they have a head coach who “doesn’t trust his squad”. Baffling.
To add insult to injury, on loan goalkeeper Francis Uzoho sustained a serious knee injury in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against Brazil, ruling him out between 6-9 months. With Uzoho sidelined, Omonoia moved swiftly to sign Brazilian goalkeeper Fabiano on a free. Having played for Fenerbache and Porto, the 31-year-old has enough experience to cope in Cyprus. Whether or not he settles and performs to the standard Berg expects is the real test.
Omonoia’s next test is an away trip to fifth placed Ethnikos Achnas; a potential banana skin given the hosts trail Omonoia by a point.
Champions APOEL have three games in hand over Omonoia and have won their opening four, which puts them level with the Tryfili on 12 points. Thomas Doll’s men face Temur Ketsbaia’s table topping Anorthosis at the weekend where a win will sit the 28-time champions back on top of the perch.
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Following Omonoia’s 1-0 home victory over Apollon, Berg spoke positively about his team but refused to be drawn into a discussion relating to their title chances, given many journalists and fans are already talking about a first championship in almost a decade.
“For us, the start we have made, I cannot say anything other than I’m happy with three wins and a draw.” Berg told the press pack.
“It’s a good start from where we were in the summer and the players that have come in. We are developing. Not everything we do is perfect but we’re working very hard to be the best we can be.”
Berg’s choice of words are by no means an indication he’s ruling out any chance of a title victory although, at this early stage of his tenure, steady progress is the key objective.
Omonoia are already showing signs of improvement. Defensively they’ve tightened up, conceding twice in four games; both goals coming from the spot in the 2-2 draw away at AEK Larnaca – a game shrouded in controversy as Omonoia were (not for the first time) ruing decisions made by referee George Nicolaou, who mysteriously ruled out Michael Luftner’s goal and denied them a stone-wall penalty – yet awarded three to AEK.
The addition of Tomas Hubocan will undoubtedly provide much needed experience at the back once the former Marseille central defender is match fit.
Going forward, Omonoia’s free-flowing football has produced some well crafted finishes and with Thiago Santos, Eric Bautheac, Charlambos Mavrias, Jordi Gomez and Dimitris Christofi getting on the score sheet, there’s less pressure on Matt Derbyshire to deliver.
Hen Ezra is already looking like one of the signings of the season having put in some impressive displays, whilst Vitor Gomes continues to impress in midfield.
Berg saved some praise for Omonoia’s supporters, who’ve turned up in their thousands to get behind their team; an interesting choice given the Omonoia Ultra’s (Gate 9) are no longer attending matches.
“I’m also very happy to hear the fans, like they always have been, even from the first day when we had the practice match – there were 10,000 here for the game against Anorthosis.
“It was fantastic support for the players and it was good to hear the fans being happy again, It helps the players a lot and maybe they were able to make a difference in a game like this.”
Omonoia face (Jason Puncheon’s new team) Paphos FC this weekend and are favourites to make it four wins from five as the hosts have lost their last three games. Around 2,100 fans are expected to travel to Paphos, whilst an estimated 2,000 Omonoia supporters from the city will be in the home section. Expect fireworks.
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On life at Norwich City as a father and a young footballer:
Before Norwich I thought about quitting the game. I was at Liverpool from the age of 15 and near the end of each contract I wasn’t ever thinking about my next move. I went on a few loans during my time at Liverpool but when I came back from one, Rafa Benitez said they weren’t renewing my contract. I went from the luxury of training with Steven Gerard at Melwood to training at a public park at Rotherham.
Also, when I moved, I lost my best friend in a motorcycle accident so I was mourning and wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I wanted to be at home and really thought about quitting. Mick Harford was really good with me but I don’t think he understood what I was going through and didn’t play me much.
On his own mental health situation after leaving Liverpool
At the time, when you’re going through it as a footballer, you don’t have the time to evaluate it. You’ve always got something on to take your mind off it which is why when players retire, it really hits them. They go from an environment to being with your mates on a daily basis to nothing.
I think the type of person I was, the attention wasn’t really for me. I’d rather not be noticed. In Liverpool I was noticed a bit but not to the extent that the big players did. Norwich was a bit different because the next closest club was Ipswich – which was an hour away – but everyone knew who I was there because they all supported Norwich.
Moving to Hull on loan
Peter Taylor was in charge at the time and he was a great manager. He was so laid back and his training sessions were fun. I went from playing in Liverpool’s reserves to playing for Hull’s first team, which was different because it meant so much more as the lads were on win bonuses.
How Jon got involved in the game
I went to a school in Widnes and the main sport was Rugby so I thought it was my chance to do something in football. Then, during one PE lesson, we were told to put on these shorts and given this strange shaped ball. I was only there for 6-8 weeks before going to a school in Speke where I excelled there.
I then had a trial at the Liverpool schoolboy trials where all the best boys are scouted by the likes of Liverpool, Man Utd and Everton.
Alex Ferguson rang me personally and I went to United, who offered me a contract. Everton also offered me a contract and I agreed to it. I then went to Liverpool a couple of days later and half way through, Jim Aspinall (club scout) asked if I signed for Everton and I said “yes”. He then said “you can’t be seen here because we’ll get into trouble” so they dragged me out.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Liverpool though. They were the club I supported as a kid. Everything happened so quick for me at a young age, I was just excited about signing for Everton. I would have signed for anyone who offered me a deal. It wasn’t until after I signed for Everton where Liverpool showed real interest.
After my Everton contract expired, Liverpool came in for me again and I signed on a YTS.
Making his Liverpool debut in the Worthington Cup tie against Southampton
At the time there were a couple of us involved with the first team and knew that the young lads would go along with the first team in the League Cup.
On the morning of the game, Phil Thompson rang me in my hotel room (I was rooming with John Arne Riise) and asked “are your parents going tonight” so I said “not really, they don’t know what’s going on” and he said “you better call them because you’re starting tonight”. I just remember thinking I’d made it. All that work put in over the years and I had my opportunity to show people I can play for the football club.
On Sami Hyppia
Just by seeing him in the training sessions, the way he commanded the back four, he’s been one of Liverpool’s best centre halves. He didn’t get the credit he deserved.
On Didi Hamann
He was a character with the lads. He and Markus Babel were very witty. Round the dressing room they were big players. Babel played centre-half in the Southampton match and I remember him talking to me throughout. I learned so much that it was almost as if he was playing the game for me.
Towards the end of Didi’s career he slowed down a bit but he changed the impact of the 2005 Champions League final. He played the simple passes and changed the flow of the game.
Didi didn’t get a lot of credit. He rarely gave the ball away. I think whoever played next to Steven Gerard was always going to get overlooked because he was such a great player and a scouser.
On Steven Gerrard
I didn’t play a lot of football with him but saw him in training and how much of a leader he was. He’s the only player I can say played just like he trained. Other players did well in training but didn’t perform on the Saturday but Steven Gerard trained exactly how he played. I found this unique because Monday to Friday you feel lethargic then pick it up full throttle at the weekend, but Steven Gerard was on it all the time.
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When Paul Pogba’s £94.5M move back to Manchester United from Juventus was finalised you’d be forgiven if you thought the Agnelli family said something similar to the opening bars of 50 Cents “I get money”.
Three years down the line, social media continues to remind us how Manchester United “signed their own player for £100m”. A “Dab merchant”. Someone whose (debatable) performances since joining the club has forced the powers that be to spend big on Fred and Matic so that he may be “unlocked”. The Twitterati even go so far as to blame Pogba’s different hairstyles for some abject displays.
While many baulked at/mocked the transfer fee, I (along with many others) believed it was a win-win situation for all parties involved. Juventus made a huge profit on a player they bought for next to nothing, Pogba’s people earned an eye watering £41 from the deal (according to the book “Football Leaks: the Dirty Business of Football”) and Manchester United not only had the cash cow they so desperately needed but also a major asset that would bolster their portfolio and prove that despite being without Champions League football they could still attract elite footballers.
Although the 10 year £750m deal between Adidas and Manchester United was finalised two years prior to Pogba signing his own long term agreement with the sportswear manufacturer (£31m over 10 years), conspiracy theorists claimed Pogba and co were encouraged to engineer a move to either United or the other super power on the Adidas roster; Real Madrid.
I spoke to Pogba in December 2017 for Beyond The Pitch and asked if there was any truth in the rumour that Real Madrid was also interested in his signature at the time when United were negotiating with Juventus. He said:
“To be honest, Real Madrid came to me and I was thinking to go there, and I was thinking to go to Manchester United too. But I always felt it in my heart. My heart told me to come back here, I don’t know why, I didn’t know what was going to happen.
“But I did it, and I don’t regret. I never regret my choice.”
Pogba’s return to Manchester United has been bitter-sweet. His first season was relatively successful as the club won two pieces of silverware; the League Cup and the Europa League – the latter earned United a spot in the Champions League thus sparing the club’s blushes after finishing 6th in the Premier League.
A stellar display from Pogba in the Europa League final 10 days after his father passed away shouldn’t be ignored. Behind the bright lights, fame and fortune, it’s difficult to lose sight of what’s most important. Pogba is a devout Muslim and is extremely close to his family. Most people would require time to grieve but Pogba stepped up when United needed him. But that’s as good as it has got.
A well-documented fall out with Jose Mourinho along with numerous questionable performances has divided a fan base. Staunch supporters of Pogba have – quite rightly – pointed the finger at Jose Mourinho for not only his treatment of the player but also his pragmatic approach to games that hindered the Frenchman’s progress and performances. Others have different views. Some claim the player has been a nuisance. They say he is disruptive. A bad influence. Someone who is using his social media clout to manipulate team mates.
The last accusation may seem far fetched but Pogba’s dressing room influence can’t be questioned, given his infectious personality and his affiliation with the club. Nevertheless, Pogba’s frequent social media activity has led to sets of supporters from many clubs questioning his commitment to Manchester United.
Graeme Souness has been heavily critical of the Frenchman to the point where many on social media have accused the former Liverpool manager of being racist. The general feeling is the showmanship, the dancing, the haircuts, the funny videos would be acceptable if he was putting in the work on the pitch week in week out. As it stands, the number of sub-par performances outnumber the MOTM displays.
Pogba’s fractious relationship with Mourinho began before December 2017 when the player ignored his manager’s request to remain in the UK to recover from a thigh muscle injury and instead chose to rehabilitate in Miami.
Photo: John Walton/PA)
As time went on, Pogba’s lifestyle choices continued to chip away at Mourinho. Pogba often arranged for personal hairdresser Ahmed Alsanawi to cut his and some team mate’s hair at the club’s hotel before games. Incidentally, Alsanawi was banned from Chelsea’s training ground in November 2017 after using selfies with players to boost his social media following.
After numerous reported bust ups between the two, Pogba dropped a massive hint that he didn’t see eye to eye with the manager, saying:
“A coach and a player don’t have to be best friends, we don’t have to go to restaurants together.”
This came a few weeks after Pep Guardiola revealed Mino Raiola offered both Pogba and Mkhitaryan to Manchester City. Pogba reacted to the media attention by scoring twice in Utd’s incredible comeback victory at the Etihad – although the sky blue hairstyle only added fuel to the fire.
More cryptic public comments from Pogba followed. At the beginning of the season he said:
“If you’re not happy, you cannot give your best. There are things that I cannot say otherwise I will get fined”. After the 1-1 home draw against Wolves, Pogba told one media outlet: “We are here to attack. Teams are scared when they see Man United attacking and attacking. That was our mistake today”.
Mourinho on the other hand did little to defuse the situation, often substituting Pogba and used the open training session in September 2018 to give his (then) captain a dressing down the day after a video was posted on Instagram of the player laughing during United’s League Cup encounter against Derby, which they lost on penalties.
So what was Ed Woodward (Manchester United’s Executive Vice Chairman) doing the whole time? Sources claim Woodward was leaking inside information to his favourite journalists in order to appear completely blameless in the whole saga. Let’s not forget, Woodward appointed Jose Mourinho and negotiated the deal to sign Pogba.
However, once the relationship between player and manager came to a head there was only going to be one winner. United were dropping further down the table as the team’s form worsened. Mourinho’s tactics and team selections were questionable along with his pre/post match comments. The atmosphere in and around the club was toxic.
Something had to give. Woodward would either have to stump up over £20m in compensation to sack Mourinho or sell the £89m “virus” (as Jose once described Pogba). Woodward knew relieving Mourinho of his duties would lead to further question marks over his judgement, given he’d already sacked David Moyes and Louis van Gaal. After all, United aren’t known for being a sacking club – but times have changed.
One crucial factor that major clubs look at nowadays before signing a big name is their social media activity. Nowadays, players can interact with fans at the touch of a button/screen. The option to promote themselves opens many doors, leading to potential sponsorships. Pogba already had a worldwide following which took off after he adopted the Dab, a dance move/gesture made famous by hip hop artists Skippa Da Flippa, Migos and Rich The Kid, and often performed as a celebration by numerous sportsmen/women in the NFL and NBA.
YouTubers had made hundreds of “Pogba Best Skills” video compilations that were accompanied by some terrible Euro Trance music. Fast forward to the announcement of Pogba’s transfer to Manchester United and the most elaborate unveiling in football history. A short music video that featured (Adidas sponsored) UK artist Stormzy (a Manchester United fan) donning the new blue away shirt, performing the Nigo Duppy freestyle – which also introduced the Adidas Originals collection by Nigo.
Pogba’s arrival at Man United was announced through the power of social media – photo: Manchester United/Adidas
Pogba’s social media follower numbers across the three major platforms are huge but hardly earth shattering. His 34.2m Instagram followers are far less than Messi’s (113m), Cristiano Ronaldo’s (160m) and even Neymar’s (113m).
What about Twitter? Well, if you thought Pogba trailed CR7 on Insta then you’ll think the World Cup winner’s people need to up their game on the world’s biggest trolling platform. Pogba sits on 6.7m followers whilst the Juve forward has over 77m. How about Facebook? Pogba’s 7.3m “likes” looks like crumbs compared to Ronaldo’s 122m, Messi’s 89m and Neymar’s 60m. Nevertheless, Pogba’s social media status as a major influencer makes him relatable to youngsters. Someone they aspire to be like.
The Mourinho-Pogba fall out at Manchester United isn’t new. Sir Alex Ferguson severed ties with many players – even those who carried his teams to European glory. The likes of Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis; all of whom played pivotal roles in Manchester United’s domestic success were deemed surplus to requirement. Jaap Stam, who to this day is regarded as one of the club’s greatest ever central defenders, shipped out over a confession in his book.
Then there’s Roy Keane, arguably the most influential player in the club’s (Premier League) history, sacked for falling out with the assistant coach Carlos Queiroz. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s rumoured fall out with Cristiano Ronaldo was the beginning of the end for the Dutchman’s United career. The “he’s your dad” remark to Ronaldo whilst pointing at Queiroz made up Ferguson’s mind on whether or not to keep the striker, at a time where the Reds top marksman had become increasingly frustrated with the Portuguese youngster’s persistent show boating and overall decision making. Ferguson has since gone on record to say he regrets selling Stam. He told MUTV in 2013:
“When I think of disappointments, obviously Jaap Stam was always a disappointment to me, I made a bad decision there.”
No mention of Keane. No mention of van Nistelrooy, Ince, Hughes, Gerard Pique; all of whom were sold on Fergie’s terms. But there’s a much bigger name missing from that list. A player who’d been at the club since the age of 14 and part of the famous 1992 FA Youth Cup winning team.
Step forward David Beckham. There (probably) isn’t a person in the world who doesn’t know about David Beckham or “Brand Beckham”. The East Londoner made his United debut in the League Cup victory over Port Vale but didn’t become a first team regular until 1996 in the famous “you’ll win nowt with kids” season.
Football and music always had a common ground but the 90’s turned out to be Cupid’s Arrow. A simple Google search for “90’s pop” serves up more cheese than a quattro formaggi. The list of acts include; Britney Spears, the Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Ricky Martin, NSYNC, Take That, Boyzone, East 17 and more. All of whom appealed many but targeted at a certain demographic – girls from the age of 10 to 18.
“I set the bar, I’m the f*****g bar, In the sky, I’m a f*****g star.”
Another hip hop reference relating to the subject at hand. David Beckham’s boy band looks put him on par with Liverpool’s Jamie Redknapp in the teeny-bopper appeal stakes but it was the Manchester United midfielder’s relationship with Victoria Adams, aka Posh Spice, that elevated his image to a level that footballers had never reached before; so much so that he’s seen as the benchmark.
Posh and Becks became household names throughout the world, so much so that London souvenir shops placed stock relating to the couple in the same section as “monarchy merch”. All this wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for Simon Fuller – entrepreneur and artist manager. Fuller’s client list included the Spice Girls, S Club 7, Annie Lennox, Steven Tyler and later went on to manage Lewis Hamilton, Amy Winehouse, Gary Barlow and Aloe Blacc. If anyone knew how to make a diamond out of coal, it was him.
Everywhere the Beckhams went, the paparazzi followed. Gossip about their relationship filled the front, middle and back pages of the tabloids. It became a circus. A media circus. Something Alex Ferguson did not want. Don’t forget, David Beckham became public enemy number one after his sending off against Argentina at France 98. The Mirror’s headline of “Ten Heroic Lions and One Stupid Boy” was tame in comparison to the Beckham effigy hung outside the Pleasant Pub in South Norwood.
This type of attention didn’t help Ferguson’s preparations for the new season – or did it? Arsenal were the defending champions and United spent big on Stam, Blomqvist and Yorke to wrestle the title back. Perhaps the attention on Beckham took some of the pressure off United’s squad but it didn’t bother him in the slightest. During France 98, Beckham was happily walking around with his wife, wearing a sarong and brown sandals.
First league game of the 98-99 campaign, Beckham stepped up to score a trademark free kick in an injury time equaliser against Leicester City. This wasn’t the first time Beckham had bailed United out or made a major contribution. In the 1996 FA Cup semi final at Villa Park, the England youngster latched on to Craig Burley’s dreadful backpass to score the winner. At the same ground, at the same end, at the very same stage of the same competition in 1999, Beckham crashed home a 25 yard strike to give United the lead against Arsenal.
He scored vital goals, notably the equaliser against Spurs on the final day of the 1999 season and provided countless assists during his time at the club – many of which were match winning goals.
Watching Beckham and Juan Sebastian Veron ping balls across to each other on either flank in the warm up before games was a joy to behold. Technique, accuracy – Beckham had it. Work rate, determination – he had that too. Attitude, a will to win, overcoming adversity – add those to the list.
Google “Beckham hairstyles” and it comes up with about 25.9 million results. From buzz cuts to corn rows, Brylcreem to highlights – there isn’t a hairstyle Beckham hasn’t had. Beckham hairstyles. Unbelievable, right? No, not really. Jay Z famously coined “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man”. This also applies to Beckham. It applies to Beckham now and it applied to Beckham while he was at United – a gift and a curse which ultimately brought an end to his time at the club.
Ferguson wrote in his autobiography:
“The minute a Manchester United player thought he was bigger than the manager, he had to go. David thought he was bigger than Alex Ferguson.“That was the death knell for him.David was the only player I managed who chose to be famous, who made it his mission to be known outside the game.
“I felt uncomfortable with the celebrity aspect of his life.”
The final straw came in February 2003 when United were beaten 2-0 by Arsenal in the FA Cup. Ferguson was unhappy with Beckham’s performance and allegedly singled him out, saying Ashley Cole had got the better of him again (in a far explicit way), to which Beckham not so kindly reminded Ferguson that Wenger had got the better of him again. All this led to a boot catching Beckham on the eyebrow, which ended up being another photo opportunity. There was I thinking that Nelly was the only person who could make a plaster on their face a fashion statement.
Beckham seen with a cut above his left eye – photo: Daily Mirror
Beckham was ushered out the door in June 2003 and joined Real Madrid to become a “Galactico”. A fee of around £24.5m was agreed between the club and Beckham’s arrival at the Bernabeu played a huge role in Los Blancos’ financial transformation. By the end of the financial year of 2005, Real Madrid’s revenues went up from £93.2m (2001) to £186.4m.
A statement from Deloitte read:
“Although president Florentino Perez’s strategy of recruiting world-class galactico players has not necessarily delivered the anticipated on-pitch results recently, their presence has facilitated a transformation in the club’s financial performance.”
Commercial revenue aside, Beckham’s time at Real Madrid wasn’t as successful as he’d have wanted. One La Liga title and a Supercopa de Espana victory were quite underwhelming, but like Pogba today, Beckham’s performances for his national team eclipsed what he did on the pitch for his club. However, this didn’t hinder his value as a brand and in 2007, Beckham fever hit the City of Angels as the former England captain moved to MLS side LA Galaxy in a deal worth around $32.5m over 5 years.
With Beckham being the main attraction, Galaxy saw an increase in season ticket sales and commercial partnerships with brands from all over the world. His debut for the club could have been mistaken for a movie premiere as many Hollywood stars were present. The likes of Tom Cruise, Drew Carey, Katie Holmes, Eva Longoria and the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger showed up to experience the Beckham phenomenon. A day later and Beckham was at LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art, rubbing shoulders with more A-list celebs and an event that was covered by Entertainment Tonight.
The list of off-field activity David and Victoria have been involved with is too long to reel off but just to put things into perspective, Brand Beckham is worth close to a billion dollars (around £790m), which vindicates Simon Fuller’s alleged comments in 1995 of: “Victoria’s glamour and David’s sex appeal and sporting prowess could over the long-term create a $1 billion brand.”
As mentioned earlier, David Beckham’s success has started a trend in football and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Paul Pogba’s team are doing their level best to catapult their client to that level. However, not only has David had a superstar wife by his side throughout this incredible journey, he’s had a management team that knows the showbiz industry inside out.
Pogba joked in the interview he gave me that some day he may be an actor. As it stands, he’s playing the role of a pantomime villain rather than James Bond’s arch enemy. Of course, Beckham’s over exaggerated behaviour in the flying boot debacle mirrored that of an attention seeking brat – but his team knew exactly how to pull the strings with the media. At the same time, Ferguson knew this was the beginning of the end of their relationship and was happy to see the England captain move to pastures new.
In Pogba’s case it appears that the tail is wagging the dog. The “no player is bigger than the club” mentality is non existent and Ed Woodward’s desperation to keep Pogba happy, irrespective of his divisive behaviour, just shows how far United have fallen.
Selling Beckham to their biggest commercial rivals was a hit United were willing to take for the sake of the team, but let’s not rule out the strong possibility his representatives helped push the transfer along. With Beckham’s former Real Madrid team mate Zinedine Zidane back at the helm, the 13 time European Cup winners are set to continue their spending splurge; with Pogba top of their wanted list. French news outlets have reported that Pogba’s agent has already held talks with Real Madrid, which shouldn’t be a surprise when you consider Zidane’s admiration for the player, his natural ability and marketability.
As mentioned earlier, Beckham’s presence at Real Madrid boosted their bank balance so why wouldn’t it make sense for Florentino Perez to sanction a £150m+ transfer for Pogba? Here we have a footballer with undeniable ability who, like Beckham, has a certain allure. Adidas released the Paul Pogba Capsule Collection – a six piece capsule containing clothing and footwear. He also spearheaded the Adidas Predator relaunch, a boot that ironically was made famous by David Beckham.
Photo: GettyImages
However, it is important to point out Pogba’s social media value. In January 2017, Pogba became the first Premier League footballer to have an emoji created for him. By keying #POGBA, a side facing graphic appeared – and this drove people mad. This was clearly a sign of things to come as Pogba launched his own app in January 2019 called the “Pogmoji”, which offers emoticons and animations that can be used within other apps such as Whatsapp.
Add all this to the $5.72 in media value per follower (according to Hookit) Pogba has, throw it in Real Madrid’s social media cauldron of over 200 million followers and you have a digital media marriage made in…You get the gist. Incidentally, Real Madrid lost over a million followers on Twitter when Cristiano Ronaldo left to join Juventus. All the more reason to sign Pogba.
Beckham’s departure came at the same time United made a move for Ronaldinho. Peter Kenyon stalled on PSG’s asking price, in swooped Barca, forcing United to sign Cristiano Ronaldo a year earlier than planned –and we know what happened with him. But if Solskjaer were to take a leaf out of Ferguson’s book and send Pogba packing, how would that affect the playing staff? Could it unsettle Pogba’s mates Rashford, Martial, Shaw and Lingard or would it prove that Solskjaer does indeed operate a zero-tolerance policy?
What would selling Pogba mean for United? Would this further enhance the notion they are no longer a powerhouse? How would it look to potential investors and sponsors if they sold their prized asset? Could this deter big names or players with potential from signing for the club, or would Manchester United become a more attractive proposition because there’d be a vacant cash cow position? I guess we won’t know until the club is willing to listen to offers for the Frenchman.
What we do know, however, is there are many parallels between David Beckham and Paul Pogba’s careers; numerous common denominators both on and off the field that have elevated them into superstardom.
It’s almost as if history is repeating itself, although I’d say that should Pogba end up in Spain, the pressure on him to deliver will be far greater than it was with Beckham. Back in 2003, Real Madrid already had a pool of World Class talent. Beckham wasn’t front and centre. This role was shared by Ronaldo, Zidane, Figo, Raul and Roberto Carlos.
Pogba will join Real Madrid at the beginning of a new era. Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure left a gaping hole which the likes of Benzema, Asensio and Bale (not for the want of trying) couldn’t fill, which makes Pogba’s (or Hazard’s) potential move an even bigger task.
As Rhodri Giggs pointed out on the Shoot The Defence podcast, Real Madrid fans aren’t easily pleased. Gareth Bale – who played a monumental role in at least two out of the last three Champions League final victories – has been booed and threatened by his own supporters. They even waved white hankies at Cristiano Ronaldo for crying out loud. Can you imagine how they’d react if Pogba put in the sub standard performances he has done for a lot of his time at United? How’s that for pressure?
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