Jurgen Klopp Bans Phones and Haircuts Under New Germany Rules

Jurgen Klopp has introduced a new set of rules for the Germany squad covering punctuality, mobile phones, family visits and the apparently significant threat posed by hotel haircuts.

The rules were reportedly created by Klopp and his coaching staff during a planning meeting in August as they prepared for his first international camp.

Players must now arrive together for dinner at a fixed time. Under Julian Nagelsmann, members of the squad could reportedly choose whether to eat from 7pm or 8pm, allowing them to arrive separately.

Klopp instead wants everyone present at the same time, giving the players and coaching staff an opportunity to speak to each other and develop a stronger sense of unity.

Mobile phones have also been prohibited during parts of the team’s matchday preparation.

Players will not be permitted to use them while completing activation exercises, warming up in the gym or receiving treatment and massages before matches. Conversation with the teammate on the next treatment table is not merely allowed but encouraged.

Germany’s players have therefore been formally instructed to stop looking at their phones and speak to the people sitting beside them.

Klopp has also banned hairdressers from visiting the team hotel or training base. Any player requiring a fresh haircut must arrange it before reporting for international duty.

Family visits will remain possible but are expected to take place less frequently than they did under Nagelsmann. Relatives were occasionally welcomed into the team base during previous camps, while Klopp wants those visits restricted to selected occasions.

The changes are intended to reduce distractions and help the squad develop the collective atmosphere that became a defining feature of Klopp’s teams at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool.

None of the individual rules is particularly complicated. Arrive on time, put the phone away, speak to colleagues and get a haircut before travelling.

International football has now reached the point where all four apparently require clarification.