"This SAVED football": Klopp's assistant thinks this rule change was VITAL
Pep Lijnders, assistant to the Liverpool manager, is very happy to see this rule change implemented
Whenever there's a rule change in football, purists around the world complain that they're ruining the beautiful game. However, even they should acknowledge that some changes are for the best, and perhaps none so much that the introduction of the 5 substitutions rule.
In the summer of 2020, when football was resumed in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the number of subs was temporarily raised from three to five. Then, last October the IFAB (International Football Association Board) decided to maintain the rule indefinitely. However, some leagues like the Premier League decided against it and going back to three substitutions each game for the last two seasons.
Now, top-tier clubs decided early this year to permit five substitutes from with the 2022-23 season onwards, which Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders welcomed. Jurgen Klopp's second in command thinks the decision is undoubtedly the correct one: "The big thing this season and I think the most decisive aspect of this season will be how teams use the five subs because that will change massively the Premier League,' he explained to the PA news agency.
"We're really happy with that because it means that we can play intense from minute one until minute 95 - (then it is) how to use the squad, how to deal that we play every three days", assured Lijnders, going one step further, "I think the rule saved football, in my opinion, because if you want to play every three days, this was one of the musts to have".
This comes at a consonance with other top Premier League managers incluiding his boss Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who were at the time critical of the league's decision to move back to the three changes.
Continue reading: The idea Premier League will TEST to make VAR CLEARER for fans