Lineup ⁽²⁾

When I was 10 years old, I wanted to play football and I joined a club. My friends suggested I should be a goalkeeper because they thought I had the skills and the team only had one who apparently did not stand out. However, in the first practice, I chose to play as a defender, which led to a resounding "No!" from my friends. I wanted to be number two, a position already held by the team's captain, an irreplaceable player.

As a grassroots football coach I want to make sure I give fair playing time to every player on my team. That’s why I used to spend hours planning game subs. Planning subs is not easy because it’s not just about playing time. You also…