Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick has suggested Premier League clubs should scrap their involvement in the Carabao Cup – and also laid out drastic ideas, such as bringing back the five-substitute rule in the Premier League, to revamp the sport.
English football is again struggling to cope with a congested fixture list after a fresh surge of Covid infections throughout the game caused a raft of postponements going into the busy Christmas period.
Rangnick says that the hectic nature of the calendar means that there are too many games for clubs to navigate, and believes a discussion over top-flight sides pulling out of the second cup competition may be necessary.
Ralf Rangnick revealed he is in favour of scrapping Premier League clubs in the League Cup
He has also rallied against replays in the FA Cup, after it was announced earlier this week that third and fourth round replays would be scrapped this season.
‘England is the only top league that plays two cup competitions. In France they abolished the second one,’ Rangnick said.
‘This is something we could speak about and discuss. The League Cup is still kept for the third and fourth division teams to improve the financial situations of those clubs. But in a tight calendar with too many games, this is something to speak and discuss.
Manchester United were knocked out of the Carabao Cup earlier this season in the third round
‘The other thing is the FA Cup and the replays. That’s been changed and that’s a good thing. In other countries you never have replays, those are topics we could speak about.’
Meanwhile, the International FA Board has given permission for the five-substitute rule that was introduced during the pandemic to be adopted as a permanent measure in competitions throughout the game.
However, the Premier League is the only one of Europe’s top leagues to revert to three replacements, and last week clubs voted for a third time to stick to that rule.
It is understood that smaller clubs believe that increasing it to five would only benefit the bigger teams, but Rangnick also claims that it helps all managers to keep their players happy.
Rangnick says the competition only adds to an already tight calendar with ‘too many’ games
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Rangnick also called for a discussion over bringing back five substitutes in the Premier League
He said: ‘England is the only country where they don’t allow five substitutes. It was decided every team could substitute five players when Covid started 18 months ago. I think it was the right decision to have more options to change players and save energy especially if they have only just recovered from Covid.
‘The same is true right now. We are in a similar situation to the one we were in one-and-a-half years ago, and I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be the same.
‘I think it would be a great help to have five substitutes. It would increase the emotional situation in the squad. It’s about game time and I would be much more in favour of five substitutes.
‘In other countries, they do that. I haven’t spoken with the players about that but I don’t need to as most would be in favour.’