PFA demands Premier League clubs increase bench and reintroduce five subs rule ‘with immediate effect’

Jurgen Klopp has been in a vocal minority of top-flight managers calling for five subs this season

Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has written to the Premier League and all 20 member clubs to demand the “immediate” reintroduction of five substitutes in the top flight.

Several managers have called for the rule, used post-lockdown in 2019/20, to be used again this season to help manage the workload on players, but early votes among clubs rejected its use and the issue was not brought up again in a recent meeting of shareholders.

All the other major top European leagues have five subs available again in 2020/21, as do Uefa competitions, but the Premier League returned to a bench of seven and the use of only three again.

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The PFA asked for an increase to nine players being named on Premier League benches, according to the Times, with the letter also including support from the international players’ union, Fifpro.

Brown’s letter reads:

“This is now paramount in the interests of player welfare and health and safety and we respectfully request the Premier League board of directors and its executive team to convince all of its member clubs to adopt and ask you to reintroduce the five subs rule with immediate effect.

 

“As you are aware, all major competitions and leagues in Europe have adopted the five substitutions rule. That the Premier League has not is entirely anomalous and is inconsistent with its position as a leader in footballing best practice.

 

“That competitor leagues have adopted this rule supports our strong view that this is not a matter of big clubs versus small, rather that it is a fundamental issue of player welfare and health and safety.

 

“We have been very concerned, and remain so, about the physical load on players who are now frequently required to play every two or three days or so.

 

“The physical load on players is therefore hugely increased and the consequent fatigue that players are currently experiencing is leading to avoidable and distressing injuries.

 

“I note that Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and Leeds United were all impacted by early injuries during last weekend’s fixtures, while a further eleven Premier League clubs have players unavailable due to problems that might reasonably be attributed to physical load and fatigue. Calf, thigh and hamstring injuries (muscle injuries in general) are particularly prevalent among these.”

PFA via the Times

For the rule to be reintroduced, at least 14 of the 20 clubs need to agree to the switch.

There is likely to be a third vote on a five subs rule before Christmas, though most bottom-half teams remain against it.

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