Nottingham Forest manager Dyche refuses to emulate Guardiola's "weight management" approach.

2025-12-24 03:04

With the upcoming Christmas season and a packed schedule, Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche made it clear at a press conference that he would not follow Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's strict weight management methods.

Previously, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had publicly warned that players must strictly control their weight when they return to the team on December 25, and anyone who overeats will be unavailable for Saturday's match against Nottingham Forest.

At the pre-match press conference, when a reporter brought up Guardiola's practices, Dyche, with his signature smile, joked: "I'd like to ask, does Pep weigh himself? If only the players have to weigh themselves, that's not a fair rule. Come on, Pep!"

Dyche emphasized that he values players' professionalism more. He often reminds his players that their passports say they are professional football players, which means they should have basic common sense and self-discipline, rather than relying on the coaching staff's strict monitoring.

Nottingham Forest are currently 17th in the Premier League standings, facing immense pressure to avoid relegation, but Coach Dyche insisted on giving the entire team a day off on Christmas Day. He believes that for athletes under high pressure, mental well-being is just as important as physical fitness.

“I don’t mind them having Christmas dinner; it’s an important part of life,” Deitch said. “I certainly value physical fitness, but I’m not obsessed with weight numbers. I hope they enjoy the day; it’s good for their mental health.”