FIVE SUBSTITUTIONS CONUNDRUM IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE
In the wake of increasing COVID and injury cases, clubs and managers in the Premier League seem more convinced than ever that the number of substitutions should increase from three to five.
“From my point of view…in these games, I would like five subs to have either fresh legs to put on or different tactical things to do,” said Brentford boss Thomas Frank. “I just think they would be a huge tactical advantage for any coach and I think it would give something to the game. I really believe that.”
Frank was speaking on Tuesday ahead of their Wednesday clash against league leaders Manchester City.
The five substitutions rule was introduced last season due to the strain of the pandemic, which meant that players had to play a lot of football games in a congested fixture schedule. FIFA proclaimed at the backend of July that the rule will remain in place until the end of the 2020-21 season that is until IFAB recommended on the 27th of October that the rule be introduced permanently. “(We have received) a number of requests from confederations, associations, leagues and other key stakeholders for this option to be introduced permanently,” the International Football Association Board’s advisory panel said in October. FIFA then determined that competitions can decide if they want to increase the number of substitutes from three to five “according to the needs of their football environment.”
The Premier League decided against using the five substitutions and is currently the only major football league in Europe that still uses three subs.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel was speaking to the media after his side’s 3-1 win against Aston Villa, “Five changes were invented because of COVID. Now we’re in the middle of COVID, and some teams are having games postponed, and others aren’t. Three changes is a big disadvantage. Of course [five substitutions should be allowed]. Zero chance [they will]. We are the only league that plays in winter, which I love, but we’re not protecting the players. All other leagues have five changes. Then we compete against them in the Champions League. It’s a bit frustrating. It will not stop.”
All-time Premier League top scorer Alan Shearer responded to Tuchel saying, “This is what our country is, he knew that before coming in. The teams vote that in and they didn’t want that. I think it can be an unfair advantage for the smaller clubs.”
Some of the “smaller clubs” have also been speaking about the five-sub rule change with Brighton and Hove Albion manager Graham Potter and Watford boss Claudio Ranieri being vocal on the subject.
“Our position was always five subs. That is what we voted for. I am a little surprised, linked to Jordan Henderson talking about player welfare and even the clubs don’t think about player welfare, so what chance have you got? Our stance was always that and then it is up to the league to decide,” said Graham Potter.
When asked if he would be in favor of bringing in five substitutions in the Premier League, Claudio Ranieri said, “Yes. Also in Italy, I was the first to speak about the five changes. It’s important not to push too much the fitness of the players. If they don’t train and they have to play… and I think now we’re playing matches every three days. How is that possible to keep players on the pitch for 90 minutes and I can change only three players?”
The Christmas period has seen fifteen Premier League games postponed since December 12th due to coronavirus outbreaks leading to a fixture pile-up in the already congested winter schedule, while a lack of available players has forced those who have recovered from COVID-19 to play more minutes. The Premier League announced on 27th a record 103 positive cases from 15,186 tests administered between Monday the 20th and Sunday the 26th as the league increased testing to daily lateral flow and twice-weekly PCR tests due to rising Omicron levels in the UK.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who has been a long-time advocate for the five-sub rule, said ahead of his side’s trip to Leicester this week, “You need 14 votes to change it — there’s something wrong. As an example, I’m not sure how many Burnley players play international football. When our players have three games, they have no game.”
“We are talking about an issue that some clubs and some players definitely have but it’s decided by other teams. Because we make a competition of it, they say no. That’s a real problem.”
“The best league in the world, the most intense league in the world, is the only league with still three subs. That’s not right, we should change it (but) I don’t see a real chance to change it, to be honest.”
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero