As part of a report from the show Téléfoot on the role of replacements, Will Still returned to his difficulty in managing a group that was, to say the least, denseRC Lens having 29 players this season. However, this wealth can also prove valuable in turning matches around in the final moments.
Will Still and his management of competition
Long defined as simple “substitutes”, players who do not start matches are now called “the finishers”. Beyond a simple change in semantics, aimed in particular at less stigmatizing them, players brought into the game have also seen their role evolve since 2020 and the establishment of the rule of five changes.
With the exception of the goalkeeper and an outfield player, everyone can now come into play and thus make their contribution. “ Physically, you can impact a match more. Tactically too, there is a way to change a lot more,” notes Will Stillthe coach of RC Lens, often a fan of double changes around the hour mark. But before that, the first mission remains to designate the 11 players who will start the match.
« It's the hardest part of the job we doasserts Will Still. You can only put 11 on the field, 20 on the scoresheet. In our case, we have to leave 5-6 at home every week. Honestly, these are the hardest and least pleasant choices to make.. » And if the notion of merit is often put forward by coaches, it still needs to be understood by the players. Who can also feed off a possible feeling of injustice to show the best of themselves when they come into play…
Source: Téléfoot
Photo credits: Hugo Pfeiffer/Icon Sport
