England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has critcised FIFA’s plan to limit the number of substitutions for friendly matches, claiming such a move would be “a big, big mistake”.
Eriksson, is expected to use up to 11 subs against Portugal on Wednesday, but FIFA is determined to end the practice and will discuss it at an International Board meeting next week.
“I don’t know what is going to happen at the FIFA meeting but I hope the substitutes rule will not be changed,” said Eriksson.
“In the friendlies it is important that we are allowed to make substitutions so that we can see new players.
“If you think about 1 June and 5 June, when we play our final warm-up games, all the European teams going to Portugal are going to use those games in that way.
“I am sure I won’t be able to find one colleague who will be in favour of saying it will be good we can only use five substitutes on those two days.
“I think it is a big, big mistake if we change that rule.”
