Sean Dyche has banned snoods and hats from Everton training sessions and called on every player to wear shin pads.
The demands were among the first instructions he issued to his new set of players after his appointment as Blues boss - which was officially confirmed on Monday. Pictures of the first sessions he and his coaching team oversaw at Finch Farm were notable for the sight of every player wearing pads.
Speaking ahead of his first game in charge, against Arsenal on Saturday, the 51-year-old laughed off suggestions his instructions were indicative of "hard lines" under his rule. Instead he argued it was simple common sense.
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Club images released earlier this week showed Everton's first team players being put through their paces by Dyche. Several captured players appearing to have been pushed to their limits by his initial fitness assessment work while it was also clear they had new guidance on what to wear while out on the grass.
Asked about this on Thursday, Dyche explained: "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’.
"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."
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