Reid Slam Six Sub Rule

Last updated : 08 July 2004 By Covsupport
Peter Reid has joined his fellow managers in condeming new rules restricting the number of substitutes. Managers and coaches who wish to make changes during the forthcoming pre-season games are now limited to six.

England boss Sven Goran Eriksson has been blamed for the rule change after he replaced all 11 players in last year’s 3-1 defeat against Australia at Upton Park and was greeted with horror by FIFA.

And their knee-jerk reaction to limit replacements will kick in when pre-season fixtures start this weekend.

An FA spokesman confirmed: “That’s the case. It was decided at an international FIFA board meeting, although we were against it. We didn’t believe there had been enough consultation.

” Peterborough boss Barry Fry discovered the change of rule by accident when he spoke to a referee. Fry said: “It’s crazy. We use these pre-season friendlies to try out different things and different people.”

And Coventry manager Peter Reid added: “Normally you just discuss how many subs you want with the referee before the match. “I’m due to have a meeting soon about rule changes so I suppose I’d have found out then. “But there’s no way I would want too many of my players to play 90 minutes at this stage of the summer. “We’re trying to get them ready for the new season, not kill them.”