Featured Image Credit: Alamy & Everton/Twitter
Topics: Sean Dyche, Everton, Premier League
Daniel Marland
Topics: Sean Dyche, Everton, Premier League
Sean Dyche has banned two items from Everton training - admitting it 'drives him mad' when he sees players wearing them.
Dyche replaced Frank Lampard as Toffees manager on Monday, with the club currently 19th in the Premier League and two points from safety while on their worst run in 29 years.
The 51-year-old, rightly or wrongly, earned a reputation for being no-nonsense and traditional in his methods during his time with Burnley.
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He promised to make his players 'sweat' and bring back some of the basic principles of what Everton stands for in his first interview. What that involves is several changes around Finch Farm.
We've all heard the story of Dyche making his players do the Bleep test in February, which you can check out in the player above. He's been firm about wearing shin pads with match socks or trousers in training as he bids to raise standards.
Dyche has also completely banned his players from wearing hats or snoods in training, which are used to keep warm in the winter months.
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The reason? They won't be allowed to wear those items of clothing during games. It's something Dyche admitted 'drives him mad' when speaking to the media ahead of Everton's game with Arsenal.
He said: "This has been going round for years and it drives me mad. Unless I’ve been out of the game for too long, you’re not allowed to wear hats when you play on a Saturday, you’re not allowed to wear snoods when you play on a Saturday and you have to, by the rules, wear shin pads. It is not rocket science.
"Everyone makes the mythical story that it’s hard lines from Sean Dyche. It is just common sense. 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. I told the players, 'these myths I’m going to bust them for you right now'.
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"I explained to them. There is not a single player here where everything is not explained to them.
"I’d be surprised if any of them are in the dark on anything. I explain everything to them and the reason behind it."
Everton are the only Premier League club that failed to sign a player in the January transfer window. Despite being linked with several names, including Conor Gallagher, Ismaila Sarr, Andre Ayew and Olivier Giroud, Everton will have to escape the bottom three with the same squad for the most part.
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Anthony Gordon did depart for Newcastle United in a £45 million deal after submitting a formal transfer request.