England manager Gareth Southgate has reportedly put a ban on food served at a Starbucks outlet in the team’s hotel while training at the National Football Centre at St George’s Park ahead of friendlies against Netherlands and Italy.
An ESPN report said that all the food at the Starbucks cafe inside the Hilton Hotel where the team is staying has been removed from display. Sandwiches and muffins have been taken off the menu, with the players allowed to order only coffee, tea and bottled water, the report added. The Starbucks staff has also reportedly been told not to serve the players syrup in their cappuccinos.
Southgate is not the first manager to impose dietary restrictions on his players. Former England manager Fabio Capello had banned tomato ketchup during his stint, while Pep Guardiola asked his Manchester City players to stop eating pizza and told them that if they are overweight they will not be allowed to train with the first team. Former Manchester United manager David Moyes had banned his players from eating chips on the night before matches.
The dietary restrictions are not restricted to footballers in England. During the 2013-’14 Ashes, the Australian media had published details from a leaked 82-page document prepared by England coach Andy Flower’s team regarding the players’ dietary needs.
Piri-Piri breaded tofu with tomato salsa, pumpkin seed and goji berry breakfast bars and mungbean curry with spinach were among the meals prescribed, according to the Daily Mail.