Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 8y

Juventus giving Paul Pogba No. 10 shirt 'a big mess' - Didier Deschamps

France coach Didier Deschamps has criticised Juventus' decision to give Paul Pogba the No. 10 shirt, claiming it has placed too much responsibility on a player who is trying to fulfill a role which is not his.

Pogba asked for and obtained the iconic jersey this summer following the transfer of Carlos Tevez to Boca Juniors.

It is a number previously worn by Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero. Deschamps is concerned that Pogba, 22, is trying to live up to the expectations of wearing that shirt so much by adapting his own game to play like those who wore it before him.

"Giving Pogba the No. 10 shirt was and still is a big mess," Deschamps told Tuttosport. "The number was available and I don't know who made this decision, but the important thing is Paul does not change the way he plays.

"I know full well that he is not a No. 10; he's not a second forward. I'll always allow him the freedom to go forward, but he's a midfielder and he also needs to work defensively. It might not be what he likes the most, but it's important that he does this for the team."

Pogba is just one of several strong midfielders Deschamps has at his disposition. In fact, he might even have too many players in that position, which is why he is currently forced to leave out Inter Milan's Geoffroy Kondogbia.

"Kondogbia's played with us and he's already shown what quality he's got, but unfortunately for him there are many players in that position in our national team," Deschamps told Sky Sport Italia. "I don't want to rule out calling him up, but we've got a very strong competition for places in midfield.

"Kondogbia struggled in Spain and he didn't do that well at Monaco because he didn't have much time to prepare. He's got the quality and has always done well, but it's a difficult time for him right now."

In contrast to the advice Deschamps had for Pogba, he would like to see Kondogbia doing more for his side's attack.

"He's not just a defensive midfielder," added the 47-year-old. "He's more of a central midfielder with two good feet, and he's got a good shot on him too. He can fit into various different systems, but he needs to have freedom too because he likes going forward."

Kondogbia has not entirely been excluded from Deschamps' future plans, nor has Hatem Ben-Arfa, who has hit form again for Nice in Ligue 1 this season since arriving from Newcastle United in the summer and could count on receiving a call for games against Germany and France next month.

"Why not? My thoughts and the question [of whether he will return] will be based next week on what he's done at Nice," Deschamps told Eurosport. "There are other players who I've had a few worries with like Mathieu Valbuena. Some people said he'd never return to the French team. Since I became manager, he's been back every time.

"Dede [Andre-Pierre] Gignac, who I would never take back [according to the media], and I called him up again too. If someone can bring something to the French team, it doesn't matter if he might have had a problem with me."

Deschamps will name his squad for next month's two friendly matches in Saint-Denis and Wembley on Nov. 5.

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