Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson voices opposition to five-subs rule extension

Crystal Palace and other Premier League clubs could be permitted to make five substitutions per match again next season
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Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson says he would vote against the continuation of the five-substitute rule into next season in order to prevent the big clubs from being handed an even greater advantage.

The Premier League approved the increase of the number of substitutes permitted per team in a single match from three to five - a measure Palace voted in favour of - for the post-shutdown schedule in order to protect players from injury during a packed fixture list.

On Wednesday, football lawmakers the International Football Association Board (Ifab) announced that five substitutes would again be allowed next season, though the decision remains at the discretion of each individual competition organiser.

Having been on board with the plan for the end of this season, Hodgson cited fears over a clear advantage to bigger clubs and the flow of games being further broken up as reasons he would vote against such an extension.

"It's not fair across the board, everyone can see that," he said.

"The bigger teams with bigger squads and much more quality to choose from within their squads are advantaged by it because they are sitting there looking at players that would probably get into most of their opponents' teams as a starting player and for them they are on the bench.

"There is another element too I think was important during this period. We all knew that it was nine games in a very compromised period of time and it is going to be very difficult for teams to play all these games and get through them.

"I think it was right to increase the number [for the restart], but whether it would be right going further forward, another aspect would have to be taken into account.

But Eagles boss Roy Hodgson believes an extension of that rule in the English top-flight would be unfair on clubs with smaller squads
2020 Pool

"Not just is it fair to everybody or does it give the richer, better teams an even bigger advantage, but I think it is the breaking up of the game.

"We try hard with the three periods [to bring on subs], so the people within the league have tried to stop it being abused in any way.

"But I think there is always going to be the risk in terms of some abuse in terms of tactical and stoppages the more substitutes you are allowed and that is something that is going to have to be looked at very carefully.

"They are the two elements and from our point of view, of course, we voted for the five subs because we thought it was the right thing to do.

"But if we were to vote selfishly next time around then I would suggest the club vote for less than five because it is very unlikely that our squad next season is going to rival Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United etc."

Palace have one of the smallest and oldest squads in the Premier League, having struggled to named a starting XI of senior players across the festive period thanks to an injury crisis.

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