Premier League meetings: Players at breaking point over coronavirus-inflicted fixture pile-up as managers want return of five substitutes

The fixture list is getting to the point where players are at breaking point.

Managers and captains had their concerns heard by the league.

Managers and players are concerned about the number of games they have to play in quick succession during the Christmas holiday period because of the demands it is putting on squad which have been reduced in size as a result of Covid-19.

They feel that they are being put in an impossible position by being asked to play three games between Boxing Day and January 2.

At his news conference on Wednesday, the Manchester City manager raised the possibility of players going on strike over welfare issues, but immediately played down the idea.

He asked if the players and the managers should be all together and make a strike, because they won't be able to solve the problem.

I don't think there will be a strike because we want to play, we want to continue, and the people will be happy going to the stadium on the 26th, 27th, 29th, 31st and 1st of January.

I'm not saying there's a reason to go on strike, but there are more games and less holidays. It's a problem.

There is a desire for transparency over the postponement protocol.

At the meetings, the protocol for postponing league matches was a topic of concern.

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Thomas Tuchel.
Skysportsthomas-tuchel-chelsea_5606898 was added to the site on 21/12/18.

Tuchel says that using five subs can help players return from a positive coronaviruses test.

Managers wanted to know why some matches are being called off.

They want to make sure that all clubs are treated the same when games are postponed.

The board of the league was made clear that they cannot make subjective decisions about which games are postponed.

In March of last year, top-flight clubs agreed that they would not allow permission to be granted to postpone a league match if the team with the most players on its squad had 14 or more.

Appropriately experienced Under-21 players are expected to be used by clubs. This will include any U21 player who has made a first-team appearance for the club, another club or overseas club.

The guide for fans will be published by the league.

Many people want the return of five subs.

Managers want to be able to use five subs again, and they want replays and two-legged cup matches scrapped.

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The rule of five subs in the league should be restored.

The rule of five substitution in a match was introduced at the beginning of the Pandemic across the world, but has continued to be allowed by the rest of Europe's top leagues.

The managers who want to be allowed to use two extra subs again immediately are, in fact, the latest to publicly back the change.

The five subs were implemented when Covid started, and I think it was the right decision to do that to save energy for players, especially if they have just recovered from Covid," said Rangnick.

We are in the same situation as we were one-and-a-half years ago, so I don't see why it shouldn't be the same. England is the only country in Europe where they only allow three subs.

It would be great to have five subs. I would like to have five subs. I think we should think about that again. Most of the players would be in favor of that.