Sampdoria coach Sinisa Mihaljovic admits Samuel Eto'o isn't ready for a start.
The striker joined Samp last week from Everton.
Mihaljovic said: "It is impossible to see Eto'o from the start. He is not ready. When he has the right intensity, then he will play. The rules are equal for everyone.
"For now, he doesn't give me the guarantees I need to put him in the starting XI. Of course during a match he can come on and a quality player like that can change the game at any moment.
"He is a humble lad and I appreciated the way he settled in. He is the most representative player and it is only right he behaves this way.
"I am not just talking about Eto'o, but all the other lads who arrived here have struggled despite keeping up with their training elsewhere."
