Liam Duckstein
Nottingham Forest Boss on Player Fitness
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has stated that he is unlikely to follow Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola‘s approach of weighing players after their Christmas break. Forest are set to host City on Saturday at 12:30 GMT.
Guardiola has mentioned that his players will be weighed upon their return to training to ensure they are fit enough to play. When asked if he would take a similar approach, Dyche responded, “I think it’s unlikely. I presume you’re mentioning about Pep. Is he weighing himself, do you think?”
“As I always say to the players, on your passport it says professional footballer. They’re not just footballers. Everyone wants to be a footballer but what about the professional side of it.”
Dyche emphasized the importance of common sense, stating, “I don’t mind them having a Christmas dinner, why not?”
Forest’s Current Standing
Forest were beaten 1-0 at Fulham on Monday and are currently one place and five points above the relegation zone.
Trust and Professionalism
Dyche acknowledged that there is a lot more attention to detail in the modern game and, while he is “big on that,” he also wants to have a certain amount of trust in his players.
“Sometimes, the psychology is as important as anything with athletes and, within reason, you want them to enjoy their Christmas Day. I certainly do. It’s a big part of their life.”
He added, “It’s fair to say that I do consider figures important but I’m not obsessed with it, weights and all that sort of stuff, but I’ve got my eye on it.”
Dyche encouraged his players to enjoy their day off but also to use common sense. He believes that players coming through the academy should know how to take care of themselves, including what to eat, when to eat, and the importance of good sleep.