Jurgen Klopp has heralded Premier League clubs agreeing to introduce five substitutions from next season as “great news,” with his voice on the matter finally heard.
The manager has been a vocal supporter of each competition allowing teams to make five changes throughout the course of a game, with player welfare at the top of his agenda.
But while the rest of Europe and domestic cup competitions retained the rule, the majority of the Premier League resisted citing a competitive advantage for the wealthier clubs.
On Thursday, however, clubs agreed to five subs being reintroduced from the 2022/23 season, with Klopp no longer having to make passionate pleas for a change.
And in his first press conference following the conclusion of the international break, Klopp was asked to share his thoughts after the rule was given the green light.
“It’s great news. Top news for football, top news for the players,” Klopp said.
“We spoke a lot about it and the situation is that we all know that it will not get less with games.
“Nobody will step aside, no competition and no country. And then international games we get more of, European Championships will be with more teams and all these kinds of things.
“For the players, it will always be more and with all the things we know about football, we try to help with recovery as good as we can and it’s much better than it used to be.
“But still the games are the most intense part of the week, and it’s three times a week – there is no other sport like that for such a long period.
“So everything we can do, we should do and that’s, obviously, now what the Premier League understood and the Premier League clubs as well.
“I’m really happy for football and for the players.”
From 2022/23, clubs can name nine substitutes in their matchday squad and make five substitutions on three occasions during a match, with an additional opportunity at half-time.
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