France coach Didier Deschamps eases pressure on Paul Pogba

French international, Paul Pogba

France manager Didier Deschamps has attempted to protect Paul Pogba against high expectations heading into Euro 2016 on home soil.

All eyes are on the 23-year-old attacking midfielder, with many expecting him to shine for Les Bleus after an impressive season with Juventus, which saw him score eight goals and 13 assists in 35 Serie A appearances to help them clinch a fifth successive Scudetto.

Deschamps insists people cannot expect Pogba to score a hat-trick in every single game as he has an important job to perform for the team.

“I am happy with Pogba. People expect him to score a hat-trick and to entertain the crowd with tricks. But he is a midfielder,” Deschamps told L’Equipe.

“He can score goals, but he has another job to do as well. He has extraordinary technical qualities, but he’s not there to do crazy things each time he touches the ball. He has to find the right balance.

“He knows that the team sometimes needs him in a bit more neutral role. He can be useful and efficient in that role.

“I don’t need to tell him what to do going forward, but there is also a role for him without the ball that he is capable of. And he is already doing that much more than before.

“People always expect more from him because he is still young and shows a lot on the pitch. I have a clear idea of what I want from him.

“He can score goals and give assists. But it does not mean he has not put in a good performance if he doesn’t contribute with a goal or assist.” Kickoff.com

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