Rangnick pointed out that England is the only top domestic league to play two cup competitions
Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick has suggested that Premier League teams should scrap their involvement in the Carabao Cup in order to help them cope with the congested fixture lists.
The ongoing debate of player welfare and fixture lists has heated up in recent weeks, with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp one of those extremely vocal about the number of games played over the course of the season, but the United interim boss believes he has a solution to the problem.
“England is the only top league that plays two cup competitions. In France they abolished the second one,” explained the German.
“This is something we could speak about and discuss. The League Cup is still kept for the third and fourth division teams to improve the financial situations of those clubs.
“But in a tight calendar with too many games, this is something to speak and discuss.”
The former Schalke manager also believes that replays in the FA Cup should be removed and reintroducing the five substitutions rule would benefit squads after the International Football Association Board recently allowed for it to become a permanent measure if wanted to.
🗣 "England is the only country in the top five leagues that plays two cup competitions. This is something we could speak about."
Ralf Rangnick feels that the Premier League fixture schedule could be tighter and suggests getting rid of the league cup pic.twitter.com/zwiTCP4kDA
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) December 24, 2021
‘The other thing is the FA Cup and the replays. That’s been changed and that’s a good thing. In other countries you never have replays, those are topics we could speak about.
“England is the only country where they don’t allow five substitutes. It was decided every team could substitute five players when Covid started 18 months ago.
“I think it was the right decision to have more options to change players and save energy especially if they have only just recovered from Covid.
“The same is true right now. We are in a similar situation to the one we were in one-and-a-half years ago, and I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be the same.
“I think it would be a great help to have five substitutes. It would increase the emotional situation in the squad. It’s about game time and I would be much more in favour of five substitutes.
“In other countries, they do that. I haven’t spoken with the players about that but I don’t need to as most would be in favour.”
Related links:
- Jordan Henderson ‘concerned’ welfare of players isn’t taken seriously
- Jurgen Klopp wants Arsenal semi-final to be one game, not two
- Antonio Conte says Premier League meeting was a ‘waste of time’
