Steve Bruce: Five subs in Championship would help West Brom
Albion boss Steve Bruce would be in favour of having five substitutes in the Championship – believing it would help the Baggies as one of the ‘big clubs’ in the division.
The Premier League last week voted to reintroduce the five substitutes rule, which was first used in the 2019-20 season after the campaign had been interrupted by Covid.
Opponents of the rule had previously voted down the change, claiming it favoured bigger clubs with larger squads – but the move was eventually adopted last week.
And Baggies manager Bruce believes a similar rule in the Championship would favour his club – as well as making his own life a bit simpler.
“Would I be happy to see it in the Championship? Yes I would,” said Bruce when asked about the prospects of increasing the number of substitutes in the second tier.
“We are a big club in the Championship. My personal view is that it suits the bigger clubs.”
And he added: “But a big part of my job is the man-management side of it – we have a squad of 25 players and you can only play 11.
“And the other 14 is always the difficult part. In that respect it will make it a little bit easier to manage.
“Am I for or against it? Yeah I’m for it.”
With Albion’s chances of making the play-offs effectively dead after their 1-0 defeat at Birmingham on Sunday, Bruce is looking to mount a challenge for a return to the Premier League next season. And he added that the depth of the squads of the bigger clubs would prove a major factor should a five-substitutes rule be adopted in the Championship.
“Without question it helps the big clubs, that’s without question,” said the former Villa, Blues and Newcastle chief. When you look at the strength in depth they have got, of course it helps them.
“I have to say with the schedule the big clubs (in the Premier League) I can understand why it’s gone through.
“The sheer numbers of games we are asked to play in this country, we’ve been saying it’s too much for years.
“And one of the reasons the Premier League wanted to bring it in was because of the number of games, especially with the Champions League the way it is.
“I can understand the need for it. But it does help the bigger clubs.”
