Following Sean Dyche’s appointment as the new manager of Nottingham Forest on Tuesday morning, it seems players at the club could be in for a set of new training ground rules. The 54-year-old has secured a contract until the summer of 2027 after the short-lived tenure of Ange Postecoglou. Dyche is known for his hard-working and no-nonsense coaching style, focusing heavily on defensive shape and discipline. This discipline extends to the training ground, where he has implemented specific protocols, as seen during his time at Everton.
During his stint as Everton manager starting in January 2023, Dyche immediately set rules banning the wearing of snoods and hats during training sessions. Additionally, he required every player to wear shin pads. While some may view these rules as stringent or inflexible, Dyche has defended them as purely common sense. In a press conference with the Liverpool ECHO, Dyche explained, “You train how you play, how can you train how you play if you have 14 snoods on, 15 hats and leggings, no shin pads, white socks, it’s not relevant.” He emphasized the importance of clarity and communication with his players, ensuring that everything is explained to them thoroughly.
Although it remains uncertain whether these specific rules will be implemented at Forest, given Dyche’s distinct approach, it seems likely. Known for pushing players to their physical limits, it is expected that the Forest squad will undergo intense training sessions under Dyche’s guidance before their upcoming Europa League match against FC Porto at the City Ground on Thursday evening. This match will mark Dyche’s debut as the manager of Nottingham Forest.
