There is a lot of heated debate in fan circles, with some outraged that this new policy has made a mess of things, and I fear that if it continues, the soccer world will become a laughing stock. It has been proposed that for players who have been withdrawn from the field due to concussion, a rule should be imposed that they should not be allowed to return to the field of play within seven days or within the last three matches in order to safeguard their health.
The initial intention of the FA is undoubtedly to consider the safety of the players and to try to keep in line with international soccer trends. However, it is worrying that these good intentions may be exploited by some "smart" people. Fans can't help but be confused: before the substitution rule was implemented, very few players in domestic professional leagues left the field with concussions. Why concussion cases are springing up as soon as the new rule is in place is mind-boggling.
The FA's new rules seem to have been abused, with teams enjoying six substitutions per game in order to maximize their profits. This trend seems to be getting stronger, initially showing its head in the Chinese League B, then spreading to the Chinese League A, and now perhaps quietly spreading to the Chinese Super League, which may eventually evolve into a common phenomenon of six substitutions in every game.
Coaches and players are not stupid, they know that if they find an opposing player exhausted but still pretends to fight, and is subsequently substituted on the grounds of concussion, others are bound to follow suit. Otherwise, it would be a bad deal if the opposition could change six players while they could only change five.
