allowed them to play despite missing practice?

To recap:

Fuente benches/punishes players regardless of talent level: "Fuente sucks!!! This is why the players hate him and they all transfer!"

Fuente allows certain players to play despite not practicing: "Fuente sucks!!! This is why we're so soft and have no discipline!"

It's almost like in some cases it doesn't really matter what Fuente does (or did) people are going to complain and criticize.

Personally I think holding everyone to the same standard including your best players is the way to go. I could even argue that the best players should be held to a higher standard b/c they need to be an example, not an exception. But I also am not the one who has to answer the questions when you lose because you didn't play your best players so that's easy for me to say.