Friday 29 December 2017 12:18, UK
Carlos Carvalhal has promised to keep faith with Renato Sanches, despite the midfielder’s stuttering start to his Swansea City career.
Portugal international Sanches moved to Swansea on loan from Bayern Munich in August but has struggled to adapt to the Premier League.
Sanches' form came under particular scrutiny following a below-par performance in the game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in November, resulting in former Swans head coach Paul Clement taking the 20-year-old off at half-time.
He has only made two appearances since, but Carvalhal - who was announced as the new Swansea boss on Thursday - insists the midfielder is still learning and has a role to play in the side.
"I think he [Sanches] needs confidence," Carvalhal said.
"It is easy to forget because he has played for Benfica and the Portuguese national team that he is still only a kid.
"He is still learning and I think he needs a role in the team.
"With time he will understand all the different roles the players have in the team.
"But he will be involved in the dynamic and, when he understands what we want, he will be a completely different player. We believe that."
Swansea, who are bottom of the Premier League, travel to Watford on Saturday for Carvalhal's first game in charge and the Portuguese boss has promised to take a positive approach to the match.
"Watford are a very organised team but we will fight for the three points," he said.
"It will be the same against every opponent because I've never played in my career to draw any game.
"I always try to win, even when I was a coach in the third division in Portugal and we played teams from the top division."
