Chris Wilder slams Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola’s complaints about five subs rule as ‘b*****ks’
Chris Wilder has accused rival Premier League managers of being selfish after Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola insisted clubs should be allowed to use five substitutes to ensure player welfare.
The Liverpool and Manchester City bosses have criticised the Premier League for not following the rest of Europe by permitting clubs to use two extra subs to deal with the hectic scheduling caused by coronavirus.
Top flight clubs, including Sheffield United, voted against the proposal in August with many believing the rule only benefitted teams with bigger squads and budgets.
Chris Wilder has accused rival managers of being selfish over demand for five substitutions
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been one of the strongest advocates for allowing five subs
Klopp and Guardiola have argued that players are not being protected but Wilder rejected their stance, claiming they are driven by self-interest.
Speaking of Klopp, he said: ‘Cards on the table, he’s going to look after his own club. I’ve got incredible respect for these top managers because they produce top results and win things.
‘But they’re selfish, they look after their own clubs. They’re not going to be bothered about Sheffield United, they’re not going to be bothered about England.
Wilder said both Klopp and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola are driven by self interest
‘They’re going to be bothered about Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea, which I understand and respect.
‘I would be the same, but I’m bothered about Sheffield United and it doesn’t help us to have five subs.’
Sheffield United are currently bottom and without a win this season and Wilder also insisted he had little sympathy for clubs who have hectic schedules due to European football.
‘I don’t think the common man is going to be too sympathetic to the mental aspect of players on £250,000 a week not getting into an 18-man squad. That’s b****ks as far as I’m concerned.
The Premier League has seen an increase in muscle injuries with managers blaming the hectic schedules of top flight clubs (pictured: Trent Alexander-Arnold down against Manchester City)
‘My sympathy for them is not huge. If Man City are playing on a Wednesday night in Outer Mongolia and then have to play at 12.30 on a Saturday, they have to play at 12.30 on a Saturday!’
Both Klopp and Guardiola have highlighted the increasing number of injuries to players, which is one of the reasons they are advocates of five subs.
Klopp has failed to use his three permitted substitutes in two league games this season. Guardiola, however, has only used three subs on two occasions.
According to specialist Premier League injury database Premier Injuries, there have been a total of 103 muscle-related injuries across the opening eight weeks of the top flight this season.
Sheffield United are currently bottom of the Premier League and are without a win this season
That total represents a 16 per cent increase on the first eight games of the last campaign.
The lack of pre-season has been noted as a key contributing factor to the rise in injuries among Premier League stars this season.
The EFL announced on Wednesday that they would allow clubs to use five subs for the rest of the season, starting with Friday’s game between Birmingham and Coventry.
