Debate about paul pogba's best position

WHAT IS PAUL POGBA'S BEST POSITION?

There has been much debate about Paul Pogba's best position within midfield and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho provided a detailed and eloquent answer to that question at his pre-Newcastle press conference.

The boss was asked about the Frenchman's role and questioned whether the concept of a "box-to-box" performer has changed in the current game but he argued the club's record signing has everything it takes to be the complete midfield player.

Pogba started on the bench against Huddersfield Town last weekend but his positive attitude continues to impress the manager.

"Paul is a good professional," said Jose. "Paul works well, Paul likes to train. I never had one single problem with him regarding his professionalism because he really is a very good trainer. He's one of the guys who likes to train and enjoys to train. 

"In relation to his best position, I had a few laughs over the past few weeks because I heard, I watch, I had the chance to read a few things and I'm not English but I think I understand English enough to understand what you want to say with box-to-box. 

"But with some comments from important people in football, I got a little bit confused because, for me, box-to-box means box-to-box and means you have to be good in this box, you have to be good in this road and you have to be good in that box. It means that you have to defend well in this box, you must have the physical condition, the desire, the intensity, the stamina to go until the other box. 

"In the other box, you have to be good at scoring, creating, heading and so on and so on. Then, when your team loses the ball, you have to go to the other box because I think this is the meaning of the phrase box-to-box. But, this week, I got confused when some people say a box-to-box [player] has to play free of defensive duties - that's not a box-to-box, that's a box in the box and staying in that box [laughs] and doesn't move from that box.

"I got a bit confused. I think this country produced a lot of amazing box-to-box players and I had the pleasure to coach some of them. But I think nowadays, with some pundits, some agents, some family members, I think the concept of the box-to-box is changing a little bit. I think now it looks like we are going to a different concept of box-to-box. 

"Box-to-box is not my words, of course. I heard it for the first time in 2004 when I arrived [in England]. For me, with my Portuguese and trying to just translate to English, I just think just 'midfield players' and, for me, Paul is a midfield player. He's not a left-back, he's not a striker, so when people ask what's the best position for Paul to play - Paul is a midfield player. 

"It depends on the tactical system the team plays - he can play with two, he can play with one, he can play with three [midfielders] but he will always be a midfield player. It doesn't matter the tactical system the team plays - for me, Pogba is a midfield player. But then, with so many opinions and we are in a world of opinions, people can get a little bit confused. But between me and Paul, there are no confusions. He is a midfield player and that's it and a midfield player with more potential than Paul has is difficult to find because Paul has everything."