Jürgen Klopp charged a team Premier League CEO, Richard Masters, for lack of leadership over the decision to abandon the Rule of Five, as anger has grown among managers over surging muscle injuries this season.
Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, condemned the “sporting directors and (and) presidents” who voted against continuing to have five substitutes in the Premier League after being provisionally presented during Project Restart. Frank Lampard, Steve Bruce and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also voiced criticism after a report by Premier Injuses showed a massive 42% increase in muscle injuries already that term.
FIFA has decided to continue using five substitutes in all competitions until August 2021, with Germany, Spain and Italy being accepted among the European tournaments. But the majority of Premier League clubs, arguing that the rule favored the bigger teams, voted to return to three substitutions. The Liverpool The director believes that the decision should be reversed and probably never had been made had the Masters put forward a more informed argument at first.
Klopp said: “It must be [back on the agenda] But I don’t think it’s possible because of the system. It clearly doesn’t help when Chelsea, City, Liverpool, United, Tottenham, Arsenal and Leicester are injured, because that is not enough for the votes of the rest.
“This is the system. I thought it should have come back in the first place.
“For me, lack of leadership is just asking the question on the table and saying, ‘So what do you want from that? “It should have been sold – if that was the right word – differently with more information, and to show more of what could happen, by Richard Masters. We did not ask for any advantage.
“None of the top seven clubs asked for any advantage. We just knew, because we knew our schedule, that it was going to be very difficult. For the best matches at the weekend in the Premier League it would have helped that too. I think we should have thought. In command again. “
Guardiola, like Klopp, lost several players to muscle injuries as he grappled with the dual demands of soccer in the Champions League and the intense Premier League campaign. He insists that every club has a duty to protect the well-being of its players, not just those participating in European competition.
The City manager said, “It is time to pay attention to the main reason everyone works in this field – soccer players. Five substitutions are not related to the advantage of some teams, it is to protect the players – all of them in the last 15, 25, 30 minutes. When you play all three. Days begin to suffer.
“Why is this happening around the world in all leagues – Italy, Germany and Spain – and here where it is more demanding for many reasons. We cannot protect players? Not to protect Manchester City. The statistics speak for themselves – nearly 50% more muscle injuries than last season Why? Because the players are playing and are looking to recover from the previous game, but most of them are still recovering from the previous season, so why not do that? It makes no sense. “
Guardiola kept much of his anger at club officials, who voted against the proposal without consulting the managers. He added, “Who voted? Sports directors, presidents, presidents: Who are they to decide this? Who are these? They must protect the players.”
His rival in Manchester Solskjaer echoed his words. The United manager said, “I don’t understand and I can’t believe the vote was against because we have to take care of the players. This season is the most demanding season ever. I can see the point that the clubs vote against, but if I take a step back and think about my players.” “For these professional football and their mental and physical health, the only reasonable solution would be to give us the opportunity to rest more.”
Klopp will miss Fabinho against West Ham on Saturday after the midfielder, who was coaching Virgil van Dijk at the center of the defense, suffered a hamstring injury against Midgeland. The Brazilian is expected to return after the next international break.
Meanwhile, Van Dijk underwent surgery to repair the damaged ACL in London and Liverpool said the operation was a success.
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