Some fans have said that this new policy has been messed up and that the soccer world will become a joke if this continues. Some have suggested that whenever a player is replaced because of a concussion, for their protection, a rule should be put in place that they cannot play again for 7 days or for the last 3 games.
The FA's original intention was to protect players and to follow international trends in order to better safeguard their safety. However, the worry is that these good intentions may be misinterpreted by some "smart" people. Fans are confused: before this substitution rule, it was rare to see a player leave the field with a concussion in domestic professional soccer leagues. Why is it that concussed players are popping up as often as they do now that there is a new rule? It is really unbelievable.
The new FA rules have been abused, with teams enjoying six substitutions per game in order to maximize their use. This seems to be growing in intensity at the moment. Initially seen in the Chinese B League, it then spreads to the Chinese A League, and then may be popularized at the Chinese Super League level, which may eventually evolve to six substitutions in every game.
Coaches and players are not fools. If they realize that a player on the other side is already tired to the point of cramping, but just makes a show of going up for a scramble, and then gets subbed out on the grounds of concussion, the others will surely follow suit. Otherwise, if the opponents can replace six players while they can only replace five, it will be too uneconomical.
