Barcelona Defends his current approach
Quique Setien has stressed that using young players is a long term bet and may not work for a club that need immediate success.
The Barcelona coach explained that his job would be in danger if he gives the nod to a few youngsters in a match where the team fail to grab all three points.
“Making young people play more is not just my scope, it should be a club bet when planning a season,” Setien told ara.cat.
“If you sign five players who are the best in the world in their position, it will be difficult to make room for a boy from the youth team.
“We want to win everything, we want to be on the front line, but we also want a 17-year-old boy to perform like someone who has won a World Cup.
“Now everyone talks about wanting to win, but if I start four kids and we don’t win, they will kick me out.
“And if we sign the players that everyone wants and we win, people will be happy, but the young people won’t have a place.”
Antoine Griezmann has yet to live up to the expectations created after his move to Barcelona but Setien defended the forward.
“He is a footballer who moves a lot,” Setien continued, “but it is not easy to filter the ball when you have 10 players so close, covering spaces for the pass.
“Everything is also a consequence of having spent three months without playing, this affects the rhythm.
“When it’s your turn to play against a disciplined opponent, like Sevilla, and it’s difficult to find the spaces.
“It is almost impossible to surprise these opponents.
“For some players these situations are very frustrating.
“Perhaps we lack a point of effectiveness and coordination.”
Setien admitted that he hopes he will stay at Barcelona for next season.
“I always think about it,” Setien added.
“When I arrive at a club I think I am going to stay for life, although I know it won’t be like that.”