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Southampton: Clubs reject five substitutes rule for the upcoming season

By Ryan Borowski

A ball of the match is pictured during the English Premier League football match between Norwich City and Southampton at Carrow Road in Norwich, eastern England on June 19, 2020. (Photo by MIKE EGERTON / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by MIKE EGERTON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
A ball of the match is pictured during the English Premier League football match between Norwich City and Southampton at Carrow Road in Norwich, eastern England on June 19, 2020. (Photo by MIKE EGERTON / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by MIKE EGERTON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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It was a rule implemented after the Covid break and some thought it may be here to stay but Southampton and the rest of the league reject it.

Sky Sports has reported the measure did not receive the required 14 votes for the measure to be put into place so Premier League football will revert back to having maximum of 3 subs.

Having 5 subs for the final stages of the 19/20 season created interesting strategies and allowed managers to really change how their team looked throughout the course of a match. Some managers took better advantage of the rule than others but now everyone is back to what they are use to.

Like most new rules some people enjoyed the rule while others did not and it seems like the traditionalist win out on this one.

Personally, I am happy with the three sub max coming back but I think the 5 sub rule shined a light on an issue that has been plaguing the Premier League.

With 5 subs, teams worried less about taking someone off due to injury, specifically head injuries. Concussions have been an issue in football and players and teams always felt pressure to play through such injury because they did not want to use a sub when they did not have to.

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Although subs were not expanded this time around hopefully this can open the door for a conversation to allow a free substitute for head injuries.

The more we learn about concussions and how dangerous they can be for players it is time to start taking them more seriously and not holding teams hostage to an archaic rule.

So here is to hoping down the road the League decides to do the right thing and starts taking concussions more seriously.

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