Day 11 – Substitutions
Lesson
Topic Point: Substitutions in soccer are restricted and tightly regulated. Eachteam gets five substitutions in a match, which means six players will play theentire game. Substitutions can only be made three times (substitution windows) duringa match (excluding halftime). Therefore, to use the full complement ofsubstitutes, the manager often will send in at least two players one or moretimes during the match (1-1-3; 2-1-2; 2-2-1; etc). If a match goes intoovertime, teams are granted one additional substitution window and oneadditional substitute. The incoming player must check-in with the fourthofficial (day 17) at the halfway/midfield line, and wait there until the outgoingplayer leaves the pitch. Upon the referee’s signal, the incoming player mayenter. Substituted (outgoing) players are done for the match; they may notre-enter. The total number of players dressed for a club game is 20; for theFIFA World Cup 26. The total roster for a club team is 25-30 so not all playersdress for each game; and not all dressed players play in a game.
There are a few other technical detailsregarding substitutions. First, substitutions made during halftime do not countas one of the three allotted substitution windows. Second, a player thatsustains a head injury can and will be replaced without it counting toward useof a substitution window (the team will still have 3) nor the total number ofsubstitutes (the team will still have 5). This rule was introduced in 2021 to reducetactical disadvantage for a team and improve player safety. However, a playerthat has a non-head injury who needs to be substituted will count as one of thefive substitutes and one of the three substitution windows. Extrapolating thatfurther, if a manager has used all five substitutes and a player is injured,the injured player will need to continue, or the team will need to playshort-handed. Finally, a player that is ejected from the game due to a red card(two yellow cards during the game or a direct red card – see day 18) must leavethe pitch and cannot be substituted by the manager. The team is forced to playwith one less player for the rest of the match, including overtime should onetake place.
Ted Lasso: Thereis no reference to the number of substitutions allowed during a game, nor theuse of substitution windows. However, there are several moments where we seethe use of substitutions. In S1E5, Ted substitutes Robbie Roberts for JamieTartt just before halftime. This same substitution is used in S3E11 when JamieTartt is injured, however Ted delays this substitution and AFC Richmond playshort-handed for a few minutes while trainers tend to Jamie’s injury. Jamie istreated and reenters the game for a short period, and then ultimately issubstituted. In both scenes, we see Ted’s communication with the fourthofficial. Finally, we see Nate substitute three players at once in S2E6.[1]
Soccer-related note: Substitutions were not allowed in FIFA football for a long time.Substitutions were added to the Rules of the Game in 1958. Substitutionsfor injury were permitted in English club football starting 1965, followed bytactical substitutions in 1967. The use of substitutes was prohibited in theWorld Cup until 1970. Starting with the 1970 World Cup, two substitutions werepermitted for the entire match, including overtime if applicable. The allowanceof substitutes in the World Cup was in no small part due to brutal play duringthe game with targeting of star players such as Pele in the 1962 and 1966 WorldCups.[2]In 1987, the rule was amended to allow a third substitution for an injuredgoalkeeper (2+1), followed in 1994 to three unrestricted substitutions.Substitutions could be made at any time when there was a stoppage in play. In2020, the number of substitutions was increased to 5 but the “substitutionwindow” limit was added to prevent using substitutions as a stall tactic at theend of matches.
The combination of physical exertion (milesrun per game), physical contact (collisions, etc), limited stoppage, andlimited substitutions collectively illustrate why players will drag out a stopin play. Regardless of foul, injury, or other stoppage, it is an opportunity tocatch one’s breath (Day 14).
In NCAA soccer, the game is fundamentallythe same. However, there are a few differences; most notably the clockoperation and substitutions. More substitutions are allowed; essentially anyplayer dressed for the game may enter. If a player is substituted out in thefirst half, they may not re-enter the game within the first half. They may playagain in the second half. If a player is substituted out in the second, theymay re-enter once. If they are substituted out for a second time in the secondhalf, they may not re-enter (1 entry in to game in first half; two entries intothe game in the second half).
American Sports comparison: Most sports require a stop in play before allowing substitutions(ice hockey is an exception). Basketball rules require a substitute to check inat the scorers’ table; on occasion an American football substitute must reportto the official. Most sports allow unlimited substitutions (baseball is anexception). Ice hockey tends to be the least restrictive sport as it pertainsto substitutions. American football and basketball have minimal restriction(just a stoppage in play). Baseball is closer to soccer in terms ofrestriction, but soccer is the most regulated when it comes to personnel. Theselimitations and restrictions influence some of the play and strategy that yousee during a game! (more upcoming on Days 12-14!)
[1] In S3E4, AFC Richmond accumulates a number of yellow and red cards,and players are ejected. One of them is the goalkeeper, Thierry Zoreaux. AFCRichmond’s other goalkeeper, Tom O’Brien, enters the game but a field playermust come off. Alternatively, a field player could put on the goalkeeper’sjersey in place of Zoreaux (which would have to be the case if all 5substitutes were used prior to Zoreaux’s red card).
[2] The brutality of the game such that a team would try to injure anopposing team’s star player was a common tactic. When it happened againstBrazil and the arguably the most influential player in the world ever, Pele,FIFA also introduced yellow and red cards (see Day 18).
Interactive:
We have two situations (three links) to share with you for this topic.
1. 1956 FA Cup final – Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann continued playing after fracturing a vertebrae in his neck from a collision with the forward from the opposing team.
2. 1970 World Cup – Franz Beckenbauer continued playing with a dislocated shoulder because West Germany already used their two allowed substitutions. Recall that this is the first World Cup that even allowed substitutions!
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