Lampard to ban group hugs in Chelsea training as part of celebration clampdown

Frank Lampard is ready to lead a clampdown on goal celebrations by ordering his players to practise new routines in training.

Lampard is willing to try and ban group hugs in training to try and implement a new Premier Leaguecoronavirus crackdown on celebrations.

Premier League bosses are holding a series of meetings with captains, PFA reps and managers to reinforce a strong message they must observe stronger protocols.

They will be told to stop mass celebrations and come up with their own new ideas or even look at other sports such as rugby to see how they celebrate while observing social distancing on the pitch.

Chelsea boss Lampard confirmed he will have a look at doing a “dry run” for different celebration routines on the training pitch ahead of games.

Lampard said: “We practise social distancing as much as we can in the training ground. On the pitch it can be difficult at times clearly, because you have to train and get close to each other.

“But every moment you possibly can and in training I suppose the instinct or the moment shouldn’t grab you as much, let’s hope, as it would do in-game when you’re scoring in the Premier League that wins a game or whatever.

“So for sure it’s something I will pass on to the players and you see a lot of these group hugs now when they win a five-a-side so that will be something we’ll look at.”

Premier League director of football Richard Garlick is hosting four separate meetings on Thursday and Friday with representatives from all 20 clubs expected to attend.

They are being given a presentation which warns they must try to stop mass celebrations, handshakes, high fives and shirt swaps among a Premier League crackdown on protocols.

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Frank Lampard’s team made waves during the summer by splashing over £250million to bring in the likes of Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Hakim Ziyech, Edouard Mendy and Thiago Silva.

It has given them one of the Premier League’s most potent attacks – but behind them remains a defence that continues to leak goals, with 3-3 draws against West Brom and Southampton already behind them.

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Clubs have already had warning letters stressing football must set the right tone and the presentation to captains said they must set the right “image” and not be seen to be flouting rules while the country is in…