Jurgen Klopp has been left delighted by the Premier League’s decision to reinstate the five substitutions rule.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference to Liverpool FC on YouTube, the boss said that he is ‘really happy’ about the development.
“Great news. It’s top news for football, it’s top news for the players,” said Klopp.
“With all the things we know about football we try to help them with recovery as good as we can. It’s much better than it used to be but still the games are the most intense part of the week, and three times a week – there’s not other sports where we have that for such a long period.”
Klopp said that he was happy that the other Premier League clubs had finally come around to his way of thinking.
“Everything we could do, we should do and that’s what the Premier League understood and the Premier League clubs understood as well and I’m really happy for football and for the players,” said Klopp.
Jurgen gets his way
Jurgen has been vocal on this matter for quite some time. It’s no wonder he’s happy about it, this represents a big win for the Liverpool manager.
Although some may paint him as having ulterior motives, his only real goal is to make sure that the players are protected.
It will also mean that Liverpool are able to use their squad in a way they previously couldn’t. The Reds have already seen the benefits the rule-change can have.
Arguably the main reason Liverpool are still in the Champions League is because Klopp was able to make four quality changes in the first hour of the first-leg against Inter Milan.
There would have been no way that Klopp would otherwise have brought on all of Roberto Firmino, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Luis Diaz with half an hour still to play.
All four changes had an instant impact. Liverpool turned the game around and the lead they secured was eventually enough to see them through the tie.
The squad is now brimming with quality. That will mean that Liverpool can call on more options to help them change the game, whilst all the playing squad are helped to stay fit. Surely that’s good news for fans, players, managers, TV audiences and just about everyone really.
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