Why do teams have a 'bomb squad'?

"Though not an official term, in football 'bomb squad' is widely used to describe players who have fallen out of favour but still remain under contact. Those players are often excluded from first-team training and have to attend separate sessions with the club's youth teams, or even on their own in extreme cases. Some clubs even go as far as restricting any contact between the first-team and 'bomb squad' members by scheduling training sessions at times of day that will minimise the crossover between players."

"Former Manchester City and Real Salt Lake defender Nedum Onuoha told the BBC's More than the Score podcast his time as a member of City's bomb squad was "the toughest stretch" of a career that featured injuries and relegation battles. Onuoha found himself out of the first team during Roberto Mancini's tenure at City, receiving a text message telling him not to attend the club's first-team training. He and a number of other players were to instead train with City's Under-16s and Under-18s and miss out on the club's tour of the United States."

Raheem Sterling spent 18 months isolated as part of Chelsea's 'bomb squad' before mutually terminating his contract after no competitive appearances since May 2024. 'Bomb squad' describes contracted players who fall out of favour and are excluded from first-team training, often reassigned to youth-team sessions, separate facilities, or different training times to avoid contact with the main squad. The practice can include enforced training with underage squads and missing tours, and it can severely affect players' careers and wellbeing. Nedum Onuoha described his own experience of isolation at Manchester City as the toughest stretch of his career.

Read at www.bbc.com