I always go back to the QPR game in the cup where I know for a fact that RVN was given direction from above that he must not have any younger players (i.e. not already a part of the squad) involved, as the club saw it as an opportunity for a morale boosting win.
You look at how things changed once we were relegated in terms of the younger players being involved, and there's probably something in the theory that managers aren't quite having the autonomy they would elsewhere.
Still doesn't excuse how they are doing, mind.