Will new five subs rule benefit 'bigger clubs' like Ipswich Town?

What's changed?

Starting in 2022/23, teams will be allowed to introduce five subs per game, from a total of seven named on the bench - that's up from the traditional three changes permitted.

Those subs must be made at a maximum of three opportunities during the match, with clubs able to make multiple changes at any given time.

Substitutes brought on at half-time won't count towards those three opportunities.

Karl Robinson has taken Oxford to the play-offs in the last two seasons (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

What have bosses said?

The news has been widely welcomed by managers, from the biggest names in the Premier League right down through the tiers.

In general, they've said it reduces injury risks and means they can adopt an even more tactical approach to games.

Oxford United boss Karl Robinson, one of Ipswich Town's League One rivals, said: "It is certainly good for the game. We're only allowed to carry 22 players in the squad, so we can't bring any more players in, but where it does make a difference is if we get it wrong.

"When we do that, we do know we've done it, and you're stood there thinking 'I've made a right cock-up here, but I can't waste a sub too soon.'

"At half-time I think the biggest thing for me now is that you do get that opportunity to change things very early and not waste a stoppage in the second half."

He added: "I think it's a real positive for football that we're allowed to do this."

James Norwood is brought on as a second half substitute at Wigan (Image: PHILL HEYWOOD TEL 07806 775649)

Paul Warne, who guided Rotherham United to promotion from League One last season, is also a big fan.

He said: "I'm buzzing. I like making changes, I like the lads to play right on the athletic edge, it will definitely help us reduce injuries because we're taking less risks and can make changes.

"Tactically we change it obviously, and it allows us a good half-time sub. Whereas you used to hold onto your first subs - you didn't want to use one up, because if you use your second one and there's an injury or something you then have to waste one.

"So if you get the team wrong I think you'll see managers making more changes at half-time than ever before, and I think it will help us to play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday and freshen the team up a lot more than we could.

"So from my point of view it's great. I haven't done anything particularly at the training ground because of it, but we'll incorporate it into our pre-season games."

Town take on Paul Warne's Rotherham United, in South Yorkshire, on Saturday lunchtime. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Will it favour bigger clubs?

One of the main criticisms of the move has been that it benefits 'bigger' clubs more - those with deeper squads are, in theory, going to be able to bring more quality off the bench than rivals with smaller resources.

Coventry City boss Mark Robins was certainly in that camp last year. He said: "The rule benefits the bigger squads and the bigger clubs without a shadow of a doubt, but it gives us another tool, we can work with it and try and make the best of it.

"How people are going to use it remains to be seen. It was brought in because of fatigue to players so you can take players off if they're really struggling, but you've got to have players who can come on and strengthen your team which is where it favours the bigger squads and bigger clubs."

Warne, who will join Robins in the second tier next season, disagrees though.

He said: "There is that argument, but in fairness you're asking the manager probably with the smallest squad (in the Championship) and I'm definitely up for it.

"I appreciate that if you're playing against Man City and they're struggling, and they bring on world class players, a different manager might say it's unfair.

"But when we were in the Championship last time we had the five subs because of Covid and I voted for it because I wanted it.

"I know the opposition can bring on better players, but from a managerial point of view it's easier to motivate your players and keep them involved in the team more, because you're getting more of them on the pitch. They all feel involved.

"The squad harmony's better, the culture is better, everything is better, it's easier to manage, my life's easier - we win loads of games, we get promoted, it's a piece of cake!"

How it might affect Ipswich Town

The Blues have, without doubt, one of the biggest and best squads in League One - so being able to bring even more of that quality off the bench to change games this season will surely help Kieran McKenna.

And he's certainly a boss who likes to empty the bench - in his 23 games in charge of Town last season, he used all three of his substitutes in 20 matches. On the other three occasions, he brought two players off the bench.

He used all of his stoppages to make individual subs in 12 games, and made multiple changes at the same time in the other 11 matches.

He only made a triple change once - in the 1-1 draw at Morecambe on February 26 - and only changed his side at half-time on a single occasion, the 2-2 home draw with Wigan on April 19.

Injuries aside, McKenna generally waited until at least the 70th minute to start making changes, with most of his subs coming in a 15-minute window between the 70th and 85th minutes.

Now allowed to make five subs over the course of four opportunities during a match, will we see McKenna start to use the half-time break more to make tactical changes?

A man who leaves no stone unturned in search of advantages, you'd imagine McKenna will be analysing just how to use this rule change to benefit Town to maximum effect.

It will be fascinating to see how he approaches it.