“We can't rush things”: Zubeldía on using academy players at Fluminense | OneFootball

Officially presented last Friday, Luis Zubeldía led his second training session in charge of Fluminense and also answered questions from the press on the afternoon of this Saturday (27). Asked by Saudações Tricolores about the club's strong tradition of developing players from Xerém, the Argentine coach highlighted his experience working with young players and the importance of having patience in the development process.

“In Argentina, I was valued for bringing in many young players. At São Paulo, in a short time, I also used youngsters who soon were in Europe and went on to decide Libertadores matches. But we need to be calm: we cannot rush the process. If we skip stages, the player can lose six, seven years of their career. It’s something that cannot be undone,” he stated.

Zubeldía also recalled names he helped launch in South American football. At Lanús, he promoted young players who are now performing at a high level in Brazil and also gave space to players who quickly stood out in the country. Among the examples mentioned are Flaco López, a forward for Palmeiras, as well as the full-backs Bernabei and Aguirre, now at Internacional, all debuting with him at Lanús and gaining continuity in the professional ranks.

“When I say a young player debuted with me, it wasn’t just about playing one match, but having continuity and participating in important games. That’s the difference: giving opportunity, but also giving time for the player to establish themselves,” he explained.

With one of the most productive youth academies in Brazil, Fluminense has in its squad names like Martinelli, already established, but also Riquelme Felipe, Júlio Fidélis, Davi, all developed in Xerém. Now, the expectation is to understand how Zubeldía intends to integrate the new generation into the main team's plans, balancing experience and youth.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.