What football managers' outfits say about them
- Published
For many of us, the weekend means spending two whole days out of work and watching football.
While close attention, as ever, will be on the numerous goals, fouls, calamities and controversies taking place on the pitch, there will be more than a few eyes caught by the sartorial stylings of managers on the sidelines, where the dress-code has been seriously relaxed, reinterpreted or downright ignored.
As Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United continued their march towards world domination this week with a 4-1 romp over CSKA Moscow in the Champions League, lots of people had the same thing to say about the manager’s rather natty, Empire Strikes Back-evoking garms…
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Some say what people choose to wear to work can reveal something about their character. So should we interpret that Mourinho's get-up signals his plan to dominate not just European football, but even galaxies far, far away?
What should a manager wear on the sidelines? Traditionally there were two distinct choices: suit or tracksuit. That was it.
But these days it's a whole new ball game - ranging from formal wear, through 'teacher on school trip', all the way to 'hungover-and-popping-out-for-a-loaf-so-hope-I-don’t-bump-into-anyone-I-know'…
We’ve split this brave new world into a few of the main categories, with an analysis of the sartorial symbolism behind each. Let's begin.
The boss-man suit
Absolutely no prizes for guessing what this choice says about the wearer. “The boss is here lads, stop mucking about. David Luiz, son, put that fidget spinner down.”
A few big flexers on the formal scene:
Mark Hughes
A man who might not have smiled since he won the Premier League and FA Cup with Manchester United in 1994, external, Mark ‘Sparky’ Hughes looks most at home in his no-nonsense whistle and flute.
Antonio Conte
Most often seen channelling Italian funeral chic. Funnily enough, quite an oddly impractical choice for someone who spends half his time legging it up and down the touchline like a kid at a wedding who’s had too many e-numbers. It’s a wonder we haven’t seen any unfortunate trouser-splitting moments before now.
Other exponents: your Hughtons, your Hodgsons, your Koemans.
The no-tie modernist
This look says: "I’m a modern manager. I’ve done a course in leadership for type A and type B personalities. Here, take a look at my PowerPoint – but I'm not boring. I’ve included a picture of that guy from #HoodDocumentary for LOLs."
Notably a favourite among some of the Premier League’s younger managers.
Marco Silva
He’s young, he’s exciting, he’s willing to court danger – like changing to a three at the back, external at half time. He also looks remarkably like what you’d get if Joey Barton and David Villa had a child.
Other exponents: your Bilics, your Pardews (weather permitting)
The 'one of the lads' tracksuit fave
The trackie. It says, 'one of the lads' - by very definition, not 'one of the suits’. A student of the game, married to the tactics board. Will take any chance for a game of five-a-side/crossbar challenge at training.
Eddie Howe
A fine, young coach. Definitely looks like he’s always ready for some High Intensity Training. Might even thread a bit of it into his side-job as a personal trainer.
Other exponents: occasionally your Pochettinos, always your Shakespeares.
Variation: The full-kit thinker
Chief progenitor among this tribe: Owen Coyle. Basically, it says, “Give it here son, I’ll show you how it’s done.”
By all accounts, Coyley does still enjoy a kick-about with the lads too. He used to turn out for the reserves while at Burnley, external, and can certainly still find the top bin, as evidence by this training game, external against Lancashire County Cricket Club earlier in the year…
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His appointment as Ross County manager should hopefully mean we start to see more scenes like the above.
Other exponents: your Glenn Hoddles, your Tony Adamses
The club-merch brigade
These guys take the tracksuit look all the way up to 11, always on brand and accessorising with a nice bit of gear from the club shop.
Tony Pulis
Congrats to Tony Pulis for managing to wear a baseball cap for so long and so damn consistently.
The only thing harder to break down than a Pulis-drilled back-line is Pulis's own commitment to that cap.
Jurgen Klopp
Embracing his adoptive city's fondness for sportswear, Klopp seems to model the entire club's catalogue over the course of a season.
Other exponents: your Wagners, obviously.
The big-coat traditionalist
A proper nineties throwback, this. Basically, how to look like a nan on a day out to the seaside. Now pretty much synonymous with…
Arsene Wenger
The Frenchman has stayed loyal to this strong fashion statement despite well-documented difficulties with the zip., external As winter draws in and the days get shorter, Wenger's coat only gets longer.
Variation: The gilet gents
A interim garment for an interim boss.
Tim Sherwood
During his time at the helm with Tottenham Hotspur, Sherwood was pretty much never seen without his trusty body-warmer.
And there was a famous incident during his difficult spell with Aston Villa, when frustrations really boiled over and he launched his jacket into the dug-out.
BBC Reporter Rob Notham chimed in: “We saw you throw your gilet..." to which Sherwood responded, “It wasn’t a gilet, it was a coat. They’ve sold out of gilets here."
After all, he'd know.
The casual maverick
A new breed. Those who eschew the above rules and customs entirely and, well, do whatever the heck they like…
Julian Nagelsmann
The 30-year-old prodigy in charge of German club Hoffenheim is one of the favourites to take over from Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern Munich, external. His appointment as manager of a team where some of the players were actually older than him, external said a lot about how he defies convention. So if he wants to come to work dressed like that, who’s to stop him?
Pep Guardiola
He’s shocked the world this season with his ‘cool dad' plimsoles and white tee summer/autumn look. This is Pep all over.
For a man who’s renowned as an obsessive micro-manager, his post-match interviews often have all a very casual delivery. When you’ve won two Champions League trophies, three La Liga titles and three Bundesliga titles too, you make up the rules.
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