Conte defends youth policy

The Italian has been accused of not giving talented youngsters a chance at Stamford Bridge though he insists that that is simply because those available to him are not yet ready.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's game with Everton, Conte told the press: "I put Paul Pogba at 18 into the Juventus team, for Claudio Marchisio. But you must have players who are ready to play regularly with Chelsea, a great team.

"Otherwise, it's very difficult to make this decision. You must decide if you want to fight for the title or develop your young players. Two different ways.

"Show me young players who deserve to play regularly for Chelsea and I'm ready to pick them. Don't forget my first game in Serie A, I was only 16. I'm the first person open to do this because another coach did this with me.

"But, I repeat, you must have the possibilities to do this. Not to invent them."

The 48-year-old said that players such as Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney who break through at the age of 17 or 18 are exceptions rather than the rule and that it is important to expose youngsters to first team football at the right time.

"It's very important the young players are ready to play. Otherwise, you provoke damage to the players. Also to the club and the team," he explained.

"Usually in this type of football, there is a path for the young players. It's very difficult to see players when they are 16, 17, 18 years old playing regularly. And they have to develop and then come back to play regularly with a great team. This is the right way.

"I repeat, I like to work with young players. Last season, if you saw our squad, we had eight players from the academy and we won the League with eight players from the academy, and 14 or 15 senior players."

Is the criticism of Conte fair?