Premier League clubs vote against 5 substitutes (yet again) in third round of voting


Premier League clubs vote against 5 substitutes (yet again) in third round of voting
Substitutions like these cannot be seen in the Premier League as clubs have voted against the five substitutions rule

Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer will have to contend themselves with three subs for the immediate moment as clubs vote against five substitutes. The managers of the big clubs have all advocated for the usage of five subs in order to relive the stress and fatigue on the players. The smaller clubs of the league have been vehemently against the implication since they feel it will be an advantage to the big clubs.

Imbalanced votes as stakes are different between clubs

This vote is like asking the rich and poor to vote if the rich people should be taxed more and poor be taxed less or if money from the rich should be taken and given to the poor. The rich will obviously say no to all these reforms saying that the poor people will be advantaged. However the underlying issue is not understood here and so it is not covered and the vote is basically useless.

Asking the smaller clubs to vote for five substitutes when they have no stake in it is a completely baseless idea. Premier League clubs who finished from first to eighth place in the points table excluding Wolves are in European competitions. Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea play on Tuesday and Wednesday nights while Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United play in Thursday and Friday nights in Europe. These clubs have to take a decision on whether they need five substitutes and not the smaller teams as it makes no sense.

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Teams like Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion have no need for five substitutes as they don’t play in Europe and literally play once in a week. Many of their players don’t represent their countries in internationals too and so they have risk of fatigue here. Players of clubs like Liverpool and Manchester City play in the Premier League, Champions League and international friendlies and will play in the EURO 2021 this summer.

However concussion substitutes have been allowed and that means improvements are being done in matters of head injuries and it would seem that Sir Nobby Stiles’s late onset of dementia is finally getting the attention it deserves and protection for players are being carried out.

Clubs who are not affected by the issue here should not be allowed to have a say in these matters. It simply serves no purpose as evidenced by today’s vote against five subs.

Also read: Jose Mourinho hits out at Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola after losing to Liverpool