The manager of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp cannot make sense of the unwillingness of Premier League clubs to vote in favor of five substitutions per game. The German tactician believes that the players are put on the “edge” for the failure of the league board to adopt the five subs per game rule again.
Recall that when the Premier League resumed after the three months coronavirus-influenced break in the 2019-2020 season, the Premier League adopted the five subs per match to help minimize the impact of the pandemic on clubs’ squad.
Afterwards, majority of the clubs voted that the league should return to the traditional three subs per game which has been in operation since last season.
Now that the coronavirus pandemic and tight schedule have forced many players out with injuries or coronavirus infections, some coaches of the big clubs including the coach of Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel, and the coach of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, are advocating for the return of the five subs per game rule.
On the other hand, coaches of smaller clubs in the league especially the coach of Burnley, Sean Dyche think that the five substitutions per game would favor the bigger clubs that have the squad depth to execute the policy.
Hence, the last time the five subs per game rule was presented for voting, 14 out of the 20 clubs in the league voted against the rule.
In the argument of coach Jurgen Klopp, the smaller clubs are not as badly affected as the bigger clubs because the bigger clubs participate in more competitions which often stretch the players to the limit.
The coach also stressed that most players in the big clubs are involved in international football unlike players in smaller clubs like Burnley.
“We have to put the competition aside and don’t say that Man City has better subs than Burnley or whatever. Yes that’s probably true. But the problem is the intensity for a top-class footballer in England is definitely at the edge”, Jurgen Klopp said ahead of the clash between his team and Leicester City scheduled to kick off at 21:00 later today, December 28.
“You need 14 votes to change – there is 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”, the Liverpool boss added.
“We are talking about an issue that some clubs and some players definitely have but it is decided by other teams. Because we make a competition of it, they say no. That’s a real problem because it’s the right decision, especially in this moment.
“You bring players back after Covid or after an injury, and because of the games we have to play they have to play immediately. Then they are out again because you cannot get them off after 60 minutes. After all, you have to change other things.
“This wonderful game is so wonderful because usually the players on the pitch are in good shape, are well-trained, have recovered and go for it. That’s why we love the game.
“The best league in the world, and 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.”
🗣 "Burnley I'm not sure how many players of them play international football, when our players have three games they have no game."
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) December 27, 2021
Jurgen Klopp outlines the problems with having the rule of 14 Premier League clubs voting in favour of changes like five substitutions pic.twitter.com/OIbGeqJyLE
