LIFE LESSONS as The Old Trafford reject became Manchester United’s £100m man!
Paul Pogba initially arrived at Old Trafford as a 16-year-old hopeful. After 2 successful years in the academy, he made his senior debut for United as a substitute in a League Cup tie with Leeds United in September 2009. Unfortunately, his initial debut did not lead to the regular first-team football Pogba expected. Based on series of fallouts with the then Manager Alex Ferguson, he was sold for £1m in 2012.
“It is disappointing,” Ferguson said at the time.
“I don’t think he showed us any respect at all, to be honest.
“I’m quite happy that if they [footballers] carry on that way, they’re probably better doing it away from us.”
ManU journey’s hopes and expectations came to an abrupt and disappointing end.
Eventually off to Juventus he went.
Four years at Juventus, we saw him win four Italian league titles, two Italian Cups, reach a Champions League final and collect a whole host of individual awards.
Uhmm… all of a sudden the ‘disappointing’ Pogba now became valuable. The most expensive player in the history of football!!!
Now bought AGAIN by Manchester United for almost £100m. How will you like to sell for £1m and buy the same back about 4 years later for £100m?
On his return to the new manager Jose ‘The Special One’ Mourinho said:
“Finally. It’s amazing that such a good player is with us,”
“Finally we have him.”
LIFE LESSON:
- Just because you did not flourish the first time does not mean you are not valuable. Maybe you are not yet valuable to others but there are hidden potentials in you.
- Don’t let the assessment of others determine your future. Their negative prophecies is not the correct assertion of your future.
- You may need to change your environment in order to flourish. Maybe leave that friendship, that place etc You need the atmosphere that encourages your development and not where you are judged. You need a place that value you NOW for who you are as they work with you to become who you want to be – very important!
- If you develop yourself, you can later be accepted where you were rejected.
- People do not owe you acceptance, you have no right to their favours! It is YOUR JOB to develop your competence and they will ‘like’ you based on merit. Now you can dictate your terms because now you are valuable to them and they need you.
- Your value is in your development. Your income is tied to your value and the perceived value you can add. Find out how to ‘develop your brilliance’ and dedicate your life to it, it will soon affect your income. Terfa Simon Kene
- Be decisive, be very very decisive. Leave when you think you should. Do what you think you should.
- “Never cry over spilled milk”…so it did not work out? Let it go. Forgive yourself and forgive others too and never say never in your disappointments. Don’t make decisions from your hurt. Move on, it can truly get better if you decide to focus on the true essentials. There is a difference between your life and what happens to you, so focus on your life and not on what happened to you.
Tell us one key lesson you learnt from this post.
By: Pascal Malcolm Mutwiva
