‘Harmful…massively disruptive’ – Exclusive: Mills reacts as Leeds digest big announcement
Danny Mills has called the decision to allow clubs to use five substitutes “harmful” as most sides like Leeds United rarely use three.
The former England international, speaking exclusively to Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs, suggested managers would not use five substitutes as it would be “massively disruptive” in a match.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) announced last week that the rules would be temporarily amended to allow teams to make five substitutes.
Marcelo Bielsa could have made a total of 21 substitutions in February’s seven fixtures but opted to only use 13 – four of which were after 85 minutes.
Mills was adamant managers will by largely ignore the rule change as it is “more harmful than beneficial”.
“It is a waste of time,” he told Football Insider.
“Speak to most managers – making five subs changes your gameplan massively. Tactically it throws everything out of the window.
“How many teams make three subs now? If they do it is normally in the last ten minutes. Teams do not make three significant substitutions.
“You would be changing half of the outfield players and it massively disrupts the way you play. It would be a completely different team.
“If I am a coach making five subs is more harmful than it is beneficial.”
The change has been ratified to help players cope with what promises to be a hectic fixture schedule if football returns, as the governing bodies hope, in June.
The Premier League has been postponed since mid-March and players will be ill-afforded a full preseason on their return to action.
In other Leeds United news, Kevin Phillips has told Football Insider Andrea Radrizzani will “be concerned” over Jean-Kevin Augustin ahead of potentially “huge blow”.