What to do with Paul Pogba? It's a hot discussion at the moment on Football Index, and might well be all summer. Is he heading to Madrid? Is he staying in Manchester? Are you thinking of selling or holding for the media madness? It's all discussed below.
Chris
I nearly shared a similar twitter thread earlier. Must admit I’ve moved away from media holds except Pogba. My plan was holding for Media Madness (MM).
DanJ
What's your plan Chris? Starting to doubt holding Pogba? Gonna be a monumental crash if this deal goes through early. Pogba has been a bit quiet himself for my liking.
Chris
Nah holding Pogba all the way through unless he does go
DanJ
At which point, what do you do when it’s agreed? IS?
Chris
Oh don’t make me think about that! I think I would yes.
DanJ
That wasn’t the watertight plan I was hoping for!! I think I’m going to try de-risk a bit, spread my early-onset Pogba panic on to some other players.
Chris
Haha, if he moves then you have to IS, the panic will be crazy. Depends on spread of course. I don’t think he’s moving.
Tetleys
He's probably just on holiday after a long season fighting and dabbing.
Nick
He was in Dubai 4 days ago according to his Instagram!
Penguin
I’m happy for people to IS Pogba, we should let the market operate more freely.
Tetleys
Maybe I'm an idiot, but I think people need to chill out and relax a bit. It's a long old summer that hasn't got going yet. People happy to be patient with an overpriced bairn in a non-PB league reserve team, but not with the platforms highest proven earners.
Penguin
I’m with you on that Tetleys.
Tetleys
I've said it bazillions of times, but the likes of Stamford haven't accumulated the 1000's of futures of the top PB / MB players that give them massive windfalls by selling off players when they have had a downturn.
They have accumulated them, trusting that they will come back when the tide turns so buy in the proper dips (and not just pennies here and there). Thats my plan, in the main.
Yes circumstances may change, Neymar might have another poorly foot and Pogba might move to Real and if they do, take action.
Alternatively, nothing may happen at all and they keep earning and papers keep writing about them. If they make you jittery, get out and reduce the stress.
DanJ
But what if you aren't Stamford, or don’t have a massive portfolio? I'm just bouncing ideas around.
Tetleys
I was just talking in general and people getting carried along in the panic which spreads like wildfire. My advice would be that if a player is stressing you out, any player, then be decisive. Get out and move on in order to be able to relax and enjoy the Index a bit more.
I decided early doors that Hazard wasn't worth the hassle because of the inevitable move which would cause the inevitable drop so I got out.
I don't think there is anything inevitable about Pogba and Neymar this summer so willing to take an educated risk. Totally understand if people don't want to have that risk on their shoulders and don't blame them for coming off a player.
DanJ
Yeah, cheers. I think sensibly I need to de-risk Pogba. Thing that makes it more difficult - and the reason he’s such a big hold for me in the first place - is that my returns from him are higher than any player ever. CA, PB, MB the lot. So it’s difficult to let him go - at least without seeing where others are at with it.
Tetleys
As I said, I'm probably a blind idiot for sticking by him so steadfastly, but I just feel like there are too many factors which goes against him moving this summer:
Reasons to stay
Man Utd cant be seen to lose their one genuine world class player without replacing him with another marketing tool (but are there any out there who would go to united at the moment)
Nothing Pogba and Riola have ever done has been swift and silent
Not sure Real can afford him as well as Hazard
He's moving into his last 2 years of his contract. He will be in a position soon to make whatever demands he wants or court attention from other clubs - that appealing for player and agent (see point 2)
Reasons to move
He's a massive prick with a chip on his shoulders and United might just want rid of that element
TC
With you on Pogba, I don’t think he’ll move so I’ll hold. If he does I’ll IS. If he stays he’ll get a huge bump. Medium risk high reward for me!
Tetleys
I can see why people are a bit nervous on him, it's hard not to be when the timelines full of DANGER DANGER all day, every day.
TC
Absolutely, but if his price was rising nobody would be worried
Tetleys
Which is what SOTD said earlier today when he was baffled why less people were nervous about holding him at £8+ than they are at £7.40.
He had positive sentiment then. The birds were singing and the grass was greener.
Now that he's cheaper, with the same external factors people are nervous and offloading in droves because of negative sentiment. In reality, not much has actually changed.
MDJ
Agreed. Pogba still a relatively safe hold in my book.
Chris
I agree, problem is, most of the Index is panicking. Someone claimed Pogba is plummeting in a chat, traders aren’t working in percentages that’s the issue.
Tetleys
It's from those panicking that the astute can profit long term. Decide a solid entry point and take advantage when everyone else is selling.
Chris
Definitely. It goes back to our previous roundtable discussion, I said we are in a holding period, where no trend has taken over. I still stick by that.
Tetleys
I'm losing money daily, but I'm still confident in my players in the medium term.
Nick
Let's see where we are post-CL media before we judge MM I think. People live this game daily, we all do. It's a long 2 months with no football.
Nick
Pogba has (genuinely) had his hair cut today!
DanJ
This is exactly what I needed to hear!