NIGEL CLOUGH has banned his Mansfield Town players from CELEBRATING goals.
The son of Nottingham Forest legend Brian laid down the law to stars following their unbeaten start to the League Two season.
Mansfield have won eight of their 16 games so far and sit third in the table.
Fans are starting to dream of promotion to League One, especially with their side boasting the meanest defence so far.
But Clough, 57, reckons his players can do even more to help their chances.
He believes too much energy is wasted on celebrations after a goal is scored.
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The ex-Derby County and Burton Albion boss believes stars should instead settle for a handshake or pat on the back if there’s still all to play for.
However, Clough concedes he won’t deny his team a jubilant celebration should they score a decisive goal in the last minute.
He told BBC Radio Nottingham: “I don’t really see the point of celebrating goals when the game is still in the balance.
“If you score a last-minute winner and you know it’s almost the last kick of the game, then by all means. But do your celebrating at the end of the game, which is why we [Mansfield] always go over to the supporters.”
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Explaining that the only appropriate time to celebrate is after an achievement, he continued: “Yes, you have that individual moment when you do score, but I think it goes a bit over the top.
“Be a bit more reserved about it, save your energy certainly – because when they kick off, you have to go get the ball back.
“At the end of the game, if you have been lucky enough to have won, then that’s the time to celebrate.
“Even the end of the season, because yes you celebrate each win, each unbeaten game, but then if you don’t achieve anything it’s a little bit wasted.
“But the individual games are important to recognise when we have this great record. We have just won for the first time at Salford when we haven’t been brilliant – we dug in and won, scored two good goals and that in itself is worth a little celebration, but nothing over the top.”
Clough has drawn up his new rules after his own experience as a player at Forest and Abion.
He added: “You got a little pat on the back, a pat on the head or someone shook your hand – people like Ian Bowyer or Garry Birtles, who have won European Cups.
“And even when you see them scoring in semi-finals of the European Cup, or even the final, there was no everyone running into the corner flag and everything because they knew then that once they kicked off, you need all the energy you have got to get the ball back to try to preserve your lead, or increase it or whatever.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
