MLS to kick-start season in July with 5 subs, bigger rosters

Major League Soccer coaches welcome chance to use five substitutes when play resumes in Florida next month, out of concern for both conditioning of players and demands of summer heat.

adoption of rule and expansion of game-day rosters are especially important given relatively short preparation teams have had for MLS Is Back Tournament, which starts July 8 at sports complex at Walt Disney World.

Teams were able to go to full raining on June 4, provided local jurisdictions approved. But some teams in states or communities with more strict stay-at-home orders were already behind in returning to practice.

Also a factor is heat and humidity in Orlando area, and different start times in place — early morning and night games — to offset wear's impact.

heat, combined with limited training, can mean that players are more susceptible to injury.

“I think you’re just going to have to, at times, be prepared to use a full complement of your roster,” Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes said. “And especially depending on how your games are coming, because you may have a game at 8 o’clock at night and next game might be at 9 a.m.

"So, again, those time differences are going to be a big change, too. We’ll have to function and make solutions for that. Having full complement of your roster — great thing is that we’ll have access to it. w, it’s just a matter of keeping guys healthy.”

International Football Association Board, which sets soccer's rules, agreed to let teams globally use two extra substitutes per match for remainder of year because of coronavirus pandemic. FIFA had requested change because schedules will likely be more congested as teams try to make up for lost time.

“Matches may be played in a condensed period in different wear conditions, both of which could have impacts on player welfare,” IFAB said of temporary rule.

German Bundesliga, first major international league to return to play, was first to use new rule. Premier League, which resumed play this week, also allows for five subs.

rule allows teams to make five changes in a 90-minute game, and a sixth in extra time. Teams can stop play only three times during 90 minutes to make changes. rule is in place until Dec. 31.

MLS teams will also be allowed to expand game-day rosters to 23 players.

Nashville coach Gary Smith said stopping play just three times should help maintain flow of games.

“If you’ve got five substitutions, it’s t going to be very enjoyable for viewer to see constant changes that just disrupt flow of game. So three breaks in game and five substitutions make a lot of sense,” Smith said.

But some said five substitutes can be too many.

“When you change five guys, it could take team from being in sync to just completely out of sync. And I believe that will be something that ought to be really calculated and measured as a staff when we make those decisions,” Vermes said. “But some of (subs) may just be forced upon us because guys physically just may t be able to function.”

New Chicago Fire coach Raphael Wicky said games will dictate his decisions.

“I think it will depend on physical status of players. If you feel like, 'OK, this is first game, it’s very hard. I feel like re’s four guys on field who after 60 minutes, y’re like really dropping.' n you probably will have to use se subs,” Wicky said.

“If you feel that team is ready, players feel good, that y have energy level, sometimes coach doesn’t really want to make five subs. Because bringing in five new players, it’s t that y’re t good players, y’re probably very good players, but sometimes a team works, team chemistry’s re, tactics work. ... So it’s very tricky.”

Coaches also said an unintended consequence may be that younger players would get more experience than during regular-season play.

Orlando coach Oscar Pareja said any policy that is in best interest of players is a good one.

“I think it’s a mystery for players or coaches that haven’t experienced that model, maybe here with colleges, it has happened before and y’re used to it,” he said. “But for us, it’s fine. I think in terms of health of players, it’s good. I like it.”

Im credits: AP