Seven Subs: Great for Football

By Brian Lofrumento | 28th August 2008

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Subs' Bench The suits of the English Premier League are constantly thinking of ways to make the sport and the league better, and this summer two major changes were implemented. First, the FA chose to introduce a special “respect” campaign which will (hypothetically) eliminate abuse of match officials. The second change, and the more effective one, allows Premiership clubs to name seven subs to the bench. The old rule only allowed five.

Your initial reaction might be something like “but what does having two more players on the bench have to do with the play on the pitch?” Another reaction might be along the lines of “if a player couldn’t make it as one of the first five subs, chances are he’s not good enough.” Neither of these could be any farther from the truth. In fact, the two players added to the bench are probably better than their counterparts or have more potential.

It’s no secret – the English Premier League heaps immense pressure on players and managers alike. Managers especially have their lives on the line as it’s much easier to get rid of one. For this reason, most managers avoid taking risks. One such risk in the past has been putting experienced and versatile players on the bench. Why have versatile players on the bench at the expense of more talented ones? Well, with limited spaces on the bench, it was important to have players that could cover more than one position. This way all of the bases are covered; whoever gets hurt, someone on the bench can fill in.

Wayne Rooney What this actually did, though, was punish the more talented and more specialized players. Many times this meant a young prospect remained in the reserves instead of on the senior bench. Already this season a few gems have been uncovered. As a United fan, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Rodrigo Possebon get his chance. Previously his spot on the bench would be taken by John O’Shea, a man who can play any position (and has, including goalkeeper). Now, both players can fit on the bench, and when Sir Alex Ferguson needs a midfielder to come on, Possebon can fill in – it is his natural position, and not O’Shea’s.

This change also benefits the future of English football. At Everton, David Moyes is finding spots for more Wayne Rooney-like youngsters. Jose Baxter is beginning to forge a promising career at Goodison Park. At only sixteen years old, Baxter will hopefully continue to find a spot on the Everton bench this season. It’s only a matter of time before more English gems are unearthed at clubs around the Premier League.

It’s refreshing to see the world’s greatest league make a necessary adjustment to remain at the top. Not only will the league benefit, but this change will benefit world football in general and the future of the English national team.

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