Sven calls for more subs
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Sven-Goran Eriksson wants clubs to be allowed more options when it comes to using substitutes.
The Manchester City manager would prefer to have seven players on the bench, not five as currently allowed.
Eriksson is encountering a traditional problem in trying to keep all his players happy with summer signings Rolando Bianchi, Gelson Fernandes and Geovanni finding it hard to get games.
Eriksson said: "When you have say 23 players, who are working hard, it is bad when you have to omit them on match day.
"Everyone wants to be on the pitch but it would help if we could change the rules on substitutes.
"If we could have seven players on the bench, it would be much better."
Croatia defender Vedran Corluka is one newcomer who has settled in quickly after moving from Dinamo Zagreb.
A versatile international, he is due to switch to the centre on Monday against Roy Keane's Sunderland in the expected absence of Micah Richards with a knee problem.
Challenge
Corluka, 21, is relishing the challenge of facing a team set up by former Manchester United star Keane.
He said: "I used to watch Keane play on television in Croatia. He was an excellent player and is now a good coach."
City are aiming for their seventh straight home league win and despite the heavy defeat by Chelsea, Eriksson's side would go third with a win.
Eriksson, however, remains guarded about whether Sweden's Andreas Isaksson will retain his place between the posts and keep out Joe Hart.
"They are both good goalkeepers who deserve to play," said the City boss. "I have not made my mind up.
"While Joe did not play at Bolton it had nothing to do with the Chelsea result. We had decided before that game to change goalkeepers for the cup game." -
other leagues have more lor. england pathetic
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saw that on soccernet, funny
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how come giga lurking here. first time see you here welcome to the fortressOriginally posted by gigabyte14:saw that on soccernet, funny -
haha yea. so many subs.. he wanna play international games..?
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i agree....it used to be six but they sort of want to level the playing field since big clubs got more back ups so became five.
considering not everyone is as gungho as neil warnock in not fielding a gk sub, you only got 4 outfield players to fill the bench....and smaller clubs now got bigger squads too...so subs doesn't help anyone anymore.... -
Even Man Utd and Spurs wants more subs too.
*Spurs & Man Utd ask for more subs*
Tottenham and Manchester United have urged the Premier League to allow teams to have more substitutes on the bench.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and Spurs coach Juande Ramos say there should be seven substitutes to choose from rather than present limit of five.
"Every club has players of squads of more than 16 players," said Ferguson.
"I didn't choose Darren Fletcher for the Arsenal game and that was a kick in a teeth for him and it didn't sit easy with me," added Ferguson.
Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson also favours a change in the Premier League's rules on substitutes, with managers allowed to bring on three players from a choice of five.
The Premier League said it was willing to look at the issue, but any change was unlikely to come into effect before the start of next season.
"If member clubs want to raise it then we'll look and discuss it as a league," a Premier League spokesman told the website.
"We've resisted the idea before because we feel it favours the bigger clubs who have bigger squads.
"If it was raised it would go to (our) summer conference, and if the clubs agreed it could be in place for the start of the 2008/2009 season."
Premier League voting rules require 14 out of the 20 clubs to back rule changes.
In Champions League matches as well as international fixtures coaches and managers are allowed to name seven subs and bring on three of them.