Unlimited Substitutions in Soccer

764dak · 10-11-2013 07:48PM #1

http://mondoweiss.net/2012/07/soccers-tragic-flaw-made-a-farce-of-euro-cup-final.html

Basketball, hockey, beach soccer and futsal have unlimited substitutions so why not soccer?

Gerry91 · 10-11-2013 07:53PM

For one, could ya imagine the last 5 minutes if a team is holding on? They'd just use another sub after each play to eat up time!

If there's any change I'd make to them is if they could happen a lot quicker

gandalf · 10-11-2013 07:54PM

Or a team like Chelsea or City replacing internationals with internationals against a team like Hull or Norwich who have limited resources.

764dak · 10-11-2013 07:55PM

Gerry91 wrote: »

For one, could ya imagine the last 5 minutes if a team is holding on? They'd just use another sub after each play to eat up time!

If there's any change I'd make to them is if they could happen a lot quicker

Stop clocks would have to be used just like the sports I mentioned.

Nuri Sahin · 10-11-2013 07:56PM

Love basketball, but I rather football not become too stop start like it.

Gatling · 10-11-2013 07:58PM

gandalf wrote: »

Or a team like Chelsea or City replacing internationals with internationals against a team like Hull or Norwich who have limited resources.

Imagine team loosing one nil ,bring on 8 attacking midfielder's and 3 strikers when they get the lead replace the 8 midfielder's with 8 defenders to defend the home box,

And an added bonus games would last a couple of hours longer win win for the fans

ArmaniJeanss · 10-11-2013 08:09PM

You'd play the game at a massive tempo for 90 minutes with unlimited substitutions - part of the enjoyment at the moment is how the game changes and becomes stretched as players tire into the second half.

Theoretically you'd be making it easier for the 'work your socks off closing down and defending in numbers teams' like say Greece or Ireland, and harder for teams like say Spain who base their game on making you work hard and tire yourself out.

Conversely you'd make it harder for smaller club teams to compete - at the moment you really only need a squad of 17/18 to be reasonably competitive but with unlimited subs it becomes a 25 player squad and the bigger clubs finances would tell.

dan1895 · 10-11-2013 08:12PM

Never been to an international friendly? bloody horrible watching the last half hour as someone is being replaced every few minutes.

Richard Hillman · 10-11-2013 08:26PM

Not for me, unless they could sub during play and strict rules for 12 (or more) men on the pitch. Something like an automatic penalty, even if the sub has one foot on a blade of the the pitch grass.

It would take away that magical moment of an outfield player having to go in goals when they are out of subs.

Skid X · 10-11-2013 08:31PM

I'd rather see less Substitutes.

You hardly ever see outfield players going in Goals anymore - that was always great fun

about 3 minutes in

losthorizon · 10-11-2013 09:57PM

I remember the days when you could sub only one player and your goalie if need be. Them were the days.

KombuchaMshroom · 10-11-2013 10:02PM

3 is fine amount.

Only amendment that i think should be considered is adding an additional(s?) substitution when matches go into extra time. Too often extra time is ruined with players dropping with cramp or other fatigue related injuries, logical enough that if the game went on longer you should be allowed another sub or maybe even 2, but probably just the one more.

Mr Simpson · 10-11-2013 10:06PM

The only change I would make would be a concussion sub (given recently publicised events). An extra sub if a player gets a head injury.

I'd also like to see the clock stopped for subs to get rid of the awful amount of timewasting that goes on.

Kirby · 10-11-2013 10:13PM

No. Too much time wasting and messing would go on.

What I would change, and I've said this in here before, is the bench. I don't agree with having to name only 7 players on the bench. Any player registered for the club should be able to be subbed on at any time....similar to how any member of the 23 man squad at the world cup can come on during a game.

It would promote young players a lot more as if a game was over you could put on the developing academy kids. We would see a lot more Rooney's if 16 year olds were given a chance....and you simply cant risk taking a chance on a young player if you can only name a 7 man bench.

Guys like Ibe, Januzaj and Sterling would have been exposed to the first team quicker and I'd wager the English national team might actually have a better squad to pick from....which would shut them up for a bit as they are constantly moaning about it.

764dak · 10-11-2013 10:48PM

Kirby wrote: »

No. Too much time wasting and messing would go on.

What I would change, and I've said this in here before, is the bench. I don't agree with having to name only 7 players on the bench. Any player registered for the club should be able to be subbed on at any time....similar to how any member of the 23 man squad at the world cup can come on during a game.

It would promote young players a lot more as if a game was over you could put on the developing academy kids. We would see a lot more Rooney's if 16 year olds were given a chance....and you simply cant risk taking a chance on a young player if you can only name a 7 man bench.

Guys like Ibe, Januzaj and Sterling would have been exposed to the first team quicker and I'd wager the English national team might actually have a better squad to pick from....which would shut them up for a bit as they are constantly moaning about it.

I already mentioned having a stop clock so that would stop time wasting. Also, what if along with unlimited subs you also get a squad of 25 to choose from?

Gerry91 · 10-11-2013 10:52PM

Mr Simpson wrote: »

The only change I would make would be a concussion sub (given recently publicised events). An extra sub if a player gets a head injury.

I'd also like to see the clock stopped for subs to get rid of the awful amount of timewasting that goes on.

Or even just like GAA/Rugby whatever where they seem to come on/off without fuss/delay most of the time

This nonsense of holding up the board, waiting for the guy to stroll off while basically stopping at certain intervals to applaud the fans, while the sub stands and applauds causes way too much time wasting and is commonly used as a means of killing a good minute coming to the close of a game

Stopping the clock would sort it, but while that isn't in place they really should just look at making it a much quicker process

Mars Bar · 10-11-2013 10:58PM

764dak wrote: »

I already mentioned having a stop clock so that would stop time wasting. Also, what if along with unlimited subs you also get a squad of 25 to choose from?

Stopping a clock isn't going to freeze real time though.

Skid X · 10-11-2013 11:09PM

Kirby wrote: »

What I would change, and I've said this in here before, is the bench. I don't agree with having to name only 7 players on the bench. Any player registered for the club should be able to be subbed on at any time....similar to how any member of the 23 man squad at the world cup can come on during a game.

You're going to need bigger dressing rooms, and bigger dug-outs for that. Maybe bigger buses too.

And it's going to cost clubs more in match bonuses.

I don't know if the additional costs would be worth it - ultimately it would mostly be the same substitutes getting game time every week.

Kirby · 10-11-2013 11:56PM

Skid X wrote: »

You're going to need bigger dressing rooms, and bigger dug-outs for that. Maybe bigger buses too.

And it's going to cost clubs more in match bonuses.

I don't know if the additional costs would be worth it - ultimately it would mostly be the same substitutes getting game time every week.

I think you are confused about what I'm talking about. I'm not suggesting every under 18 and reserve team player should be kitted out on match day. That's ridiculous.

What I'm talking about is that currently, every premier league team having between 25 and 30 first team players.......only 18 of whom are eligible to play on match day. All first team members should be available to be subbed on in my opinion, just like at major tournaments.

Secondly, your match bonuses will remain the exact same as the 3 sub rule still applies. Players on benches don't earn bonuses for being in the squad.

Skid X · 10-11-2013 11:59PM

Kirby wrote: »

Dressing room size and dug out costs mean virtually nothing to clubs who rake in several million a year, as every premier league club does.

Secondly, your match bonuses will remain the exact same as the 3 sub rule still applies. Players on benches don't earn bonuses for being in the squad.

Not every club plays in the Premier League, though.

I can't see a significant change from the current position occurring, to be honest.

Kirby · 11-11-2013 12:03AM

Skid X wrote: »

Not every club plays in the Premier League, though.

That's true but its also the reason why it took so long for goal line technology to come in.

Should the pro's not play with linesman or nets because amateur leagues cant afford them? Should we not have club doctors for safety because conference clubs cant afford them? etc. etc. Where does it stop? It's a poor argument because it leads to stagnation in the game.

Anything that can be changed to improve the game, should be done.

Skid X · 11-11-2013 12:05AM

Kirby wrote: »

That's true but its also the reason why it took so long for goal line technology to come in.

Should the pro's not play with linesman or nets because amateur leagues cant afford them? Should we not have club doctors for safety because conference clubs cant afford them? etc. etc. Where does it stop? It's a poor argument because it leads to stagnation in the game.

Anything that can be changed to improve the game, should be done.

None of that means having a travelling legion of benchwarmers every week would be good for the game as a whole.

Good players will get their chances sooner or later.

Richard Hillman · 11-11-2013 12:16AM

Kirby wrote: »

No. Too much time wasting and messing would go on.

What I would change, and I've said this in here before, is the bench. I don't agree with having to name only 7 players on the bench. Any player registered for the club should be able to be subbed on at any time....similar to how any member of the 23 man squad at the world cup can come on during a game.

It would promote young players a lot more as if a game was over you could put on the developing academy kids. We would see a lot more Rooney's if 16 year olds were given a chance....and you simply cant risk taking a chance on a young player if you can only name a 7 man bench.

Guys like Ibe, Januzaj and Sterling would have been exposed to the first team quicker and I'd wager the English national team might actually have a better squad to pick from....which would shut them up for a bit as they are constantly moaning about it.

I think they have full squad benches in Serie A this season

Jesus Wept · 11-11-2013 12:21AM

Gatling wrote: »

Imagine team loosing one nil ,bring on 8 attacking midfielder's and 3 strikers when they get the lead replace the 8 midfielder's with 8 defenders to defend the home box,

That'd be great craic.

dfx- · 11-11-2013 01:42AM

Bad memories of England friendlies back under Eriksson, 11 subs at halftime.

yabadabado · 11-11-2013 02:47AM

Why do they even bother stopping the game for substitutions ?The game should continue and let the players get on/off with out the time wasting.

corcaigh07 · 11-11-2013 06:19AM

I'd like to see the rule changed where a player can't come back on after being subbed.

It's not a situation that would come often, I admit.

LuckyLloyd · 11-11-2013 09:45AM

With respect to timekeeping and subs, it seems fairly obvious that the ref should not be responsible for managing the clock. There should be a timekeeper off the field who focuses on stopping it every time the ball is out of play. A simple change that would significantly improve one of the most flawed aspects of the game at the top level.

Kirby · 11-11-2013 09:57AM

Exactly. I mean you see it in every game. A goalie takes an age to take a free kick or a goal kick and the referee sighs and makes a big show of pointing to his watch like he's going to add it on......and invariably he doesn't. How often have you seem a game with 6 subs only have about 4 minutes of added time after a load of time wasting? All the bloody time.

They either forget or just can't be bothered.

GavRedKing · 11-11-2013 10:05AM

The only thing I'm not fond of is time wasting, every team does it when they're a goal up going into the last 5-10 mins but the ref usually say hes adding it on, we're told its 30 seconds per sub and at elast 30 seconds per goal by the time it hits the net and players celebrate and kick off again.

I'd there must be 4 subs a game at least most weekends, often its 6, so thats 3mins there alone without allowing for goals or injuries so the token gesture of 4 mins that goes up added time most weekends is inaccurate I reckon.

3 subs from a bench of 7 is perfect I reckon, unlimited subs would kill the game and would be like American football in some regards when you could bring on your set piece specailist when you've a chance and replace him as soon as play stops.

dan1895 · 11-11-2013 10:07AM

GavRedKing wrote: »

3 subs from a bench of 7 is perfect I reckon, unlimited subs would kill the game and would be like American football in some regards when you could bring on your set piece specailist when you've a chance and replace him as soon as play stops.

Ian Harte would of approved of this.

Unlimited Substitutions in Soccer

Comments