THE revelation that Paul Pogba’s agent got his mitts on a cool £41million for facilitating his client’s move to Manchester United met with predicable opprobrium.

All of the fallout from news of Mino Raiola’s windfall, however, centred on the issue of the huge sums of money streaming out of the game.

But Pogba’s elongated transfer from Juventus to Old Trafford shone a light on another pertinent matter; one which becomes the topic de jour in this country every two years.

Among the recriminations bandied about when England’s national team are bundled out of another tournament, one familiar accusation prevails.

Our footballers are too cosseted: everything is done for them off the pitch. Consequently, in their day-to-day existence, they scarcely have to think for themselves. This, the theory goes, translates into what happens on the pitch. Required to take the initiative or assume responsibility when the pressure it at its keenest, England’s players are bereft, uncomfortable – and destined for the airport.

This particular problem might one day be resolved by Eddie Howe, if he gets the Three Lions job for which many pundits believe he is destined.

It is a rare thing indeed for Cherries players to demonstrate an absence of either mental fortitude or adaptability.

This resolve and ability to think on the hoof is no accident. Those qualities were in evidence again on Saturday when Cherries struck a late winning goal against Burnley, two minutes after their opponents had drawn level.

Seven days earlier, Harry Arter had emerged from the Vitality Stadium changing rooms and made a beeline for the press pack he knew would want to talk to him.

Arter had committed a poor tackle on Stoke’s Joe Allen and was perfectly aware this subject would dominate the agenda.

He didn’t have to engage. Arter could have bolted for home, if he preferred. In fact, he had a completely legitimate excuse to scarper, given he was set for an evening in sole charge of this three-month-old daughter.

Indeed, Allen opted to keep his lips sealed.

The Cherries midfielder, though, answered every question, spelt out his side of the story and accepted he would receive some flak. And he remained courteous throughout.

This wasn’t a one-off. The same player didn’t shirk his media duties in the aftermath of his penalty miss at Southampton.

He once telephoned a colleague on this paper hours after a match in which he had been sent off to give his version of the red card incident.

These are all tales about one Cherries player. But Arter's team-mates are no different, all of them prepared to front up, come rain or shine.

Back to England at those tournaments, where FA chiefs would be appalled by the idea of letting players off the leash to speak so candidly.

If, say, Eric Dier, had planted his size 11s into an opponent, he would no sooner be allowed to plead his case in public post-match than he would be ordered to head to the pub for an evening's carousing.

Howe explained his stance on this subject to the Daily Echo last week: "I think it is probably the best thing for the individual to do – to speak openly and honestly about how they saw the incident and what was going through their mind at that time,” said the Cherries boss.

"It is very important that you analyse and it is something we do a great deal… if you have that self-analysis, the ability to see what you have done and can think about it logically, then you can try to improve for the next time.

"I think that is all you can do as a human being. People will make mistakes, the important thing is, you grow and learn from them.”

If clubs want a quiet life they can shield their footballers from any responsibility beyond what they ask of them for 90 minutes on any given match day.

The players, too, can hide behind agents, like Raiola, prepared to micro-manage every element of their client's business.

Both those courses of action, though, serve only to stunt personal development and growth. They produce footballers whose brains become scrambled at decisive moments. Not players with the wit and self-assurance to cope with whatever a football match throws at them.

“I love it when players have the personality to take a decision on the pitch,” is Pep Guardiola's take on the subject.

Encouraging players to develop those personalities should be a priority for any club. And it is something else Cherries are getting right.