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There was fury among the Premier League’s biggest clubs on Thursday after an attempt to introduce five substitutes for the remainder of the season was thwarted for the third time.
At a meeting of the league’s 20 shareholders, the clubs approved substitute concussion trials and a new television deal in Africa. But on the issue of substitutes, described by Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp as one of “player mental health and well-being”, the vote was split in half.
Aston Villa, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Leicester, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield United, West Ham and Wolves voted to keep the maximum of three changes per team. The league, however, agreed to extend the number of substitutes from seven per team to nine.
As a result, the English top flight remains the only major European league that has not expanded the number of substitutes in a season heavily packed by the Covid-19 pandemic. He is also alone in England, with the EFL and FA Cup increasing their numbers of substitutes.
Private anger is spreading among the best clubs who believe the opportunity to change has passed without the need to uphold the rules being made public.
It is understood that while Manchester City and Liverpool advocated a rule change during the shareholders meeting, no counterargument was presented. However, it is widely held that clubs reluctant to adjust the rules feel that any changes will incorporate a competitive advantage for those clubs with deeper squads.
Most likely, the ‘negatives’ knew they had enough votes to prevail. Any motion must have 14 shareholder votes to enter the Premier League regulations. Despite a recent meeting of Premier League managers that suggested as many as 15 wanted a change, before Thursday’s meeting it was clear that some could not take their clubs with them. David Moyes, for example, has said he has changed his mind and would consider allowing five substitutions, but West Ham voted against it.
On other meeting business, the league decided to follow the FA in endorsing the use of concussion surrogates. In a trial that could start next month. a team may make up to two permanent substitutions per game to protect players suspected of having a concussion. In the event that a team makes such a change, an additional substitution will also be awarded to the opponent.
Shareholders also voted to extend the league’s broadcast deal with BeIn Sports in the Middle East and Africa through 2025. Valued at $ 500 million (£ 368 million), the deal replicates the terms of the previous deal and will provide a boost. to the league in the week French clubs turned to the government for emergency funding after the collapse of a TV deal.
