1 BELT OUT A WINNING PERFORMANCE
Notable victim: Andriy Shevchenko was made to sing in front of his Chelsea team-mates on the Blues’ tour of the USA. They pelted him with bread rolls.
Survival tip: “Remember, nerves are only adrenaline,” says public-speaking expert Simon Bucknall. “Put your chin down and take two deep breaths from your stomach before you start.”
2 WATCH YOUR CLOTHES GO UP IN FLAMES
Notable victim: Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang tested the humour of John Hartson by torching his brand new suit, before soaking the charred remains in a puddle and letting down his car tyres.
Survival tip: “If you’ve got a bad temper, walk away from the situation,” says clinical psychologist Isabel Clarke. “Exercise can defuse feelings of anger.”
3 WHISPER SWEET NOTHINGS TO A MOP
Notable victim: Nicky Butt was forced to chat up a mop in front of Man United’s first team while David Beckham had to, er, get up close and personal with a photo of Clayton Blackmore.
Survival tip: “Just throw yourself into it,” says confidence coach Martin Perry. “You’ll earn respect. Being out of your comfort zone will give you a boost.”
Related story: Delle Alli: How to play with confidence
4 OUTLAST THE SILENCE
Notable victim: Gerd Muller’s Bayern Munich team-mates refused to speak to him for two weeks. A round of applause marked the end of his initiation period.
Survival tip: “If you’re shut out by your team-mates, have a laugh with your coach and get to know him – it might help you get a place in the team,” says sports psychologist Richard Nugent.
5 ATTEND A FAKE INTERVIEW
Notable victim: Gordon Hill's Millwall team-mates pretended to be journalists and called him to arrange a fake interview, leaving Hill on his own in a hotel lobby waiting for reporters who never turned up."
Survival tip: “You have two options in an embarrassing situation, pretend it didn’t happen or confront it," says professor Joshua Clegg. "Humour is a good way to defuse this type of situation."
Related story: Channel aggression positively
6 RIDE OUT THE TUMBLE DRYER
Notable victim: Gary Neville once told FFT how some of his Man United team-mates were forced to have a ride in a tumble-dryer to 'welcome' them to the club.
Survival tip: Forcing yourself to regularly deal with stressful situations can teach you how to overcome anxiety, according to calmclinic.com.
7 SURVIVE A CLOSE SHAVE
Notable victim: Diego Simeone’s son, Giovanni, was forced to shave off half his hair in a bizarre initiation at River Plate, leaving just the sides intact and a ponytail at the back.
Survival tip: “Be careful before you think about plotting revenge,” says psychologist Robert J. Sternberg. Don’t wallow in humiliation, just move on from it.”
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