Not only do managers have to endure criticism from fans and pundits about their team selections, substitutions, transfer activity, and training methods, but they are also judged on their attire on a weekly basis. Suit or tracksuit, boots or shoes, scarf or hat; these are some of the fashion dilemmas facing today’s managers. Some dress to impress, whilst others still believe they are eligible for selection and continue to wear shorts and boots. Who then is the most stylish, and who should really look at changing their wardrobe?
Ever since the introduction of multiple cameras at matches, the public gaze has been cast over not only action on the pitch but also what goes on at the sidelines. The team bench can provide many clues as to the state of mind of players not selected in the first eleven, or individuals that have been substituted and are not in agreement with the manager’s decision.
Due to this ‘all seeing eye’ capturing everything that takes place from the moment the team bus arrives at the stadium, to it leaving many hours later, pressure has been placed upon teams to not only behave impeccably throughout but to also look the part of top professionals. Most clubs have a dress code for players, with identical suits being the preferred option for the majority. However, although the expectation is there for the manager to dress accordingly, it is not a written rule and he has the freedom to choose his outfit.
There is quite a difference between managers, even at the highest level. Tony Pulis is very rarely seen without his cap and tracksuit on, and Roberto Mancini is never without his favourite scarf. Owen Coyle likes to get in touch with his players by wearing full kit, including shorts and socks pulled up, although he does have the sense to wear a jumper to prevent him getting cold at the side of the pitch. Another man who certainly doesn’t like to feel the cold, and has in fact become a one man walking advertisement for the ‘sleeping bag coat’, or as it is also affectionately termed, ‘the caterpillar’, is Arsene Wenger; perhaps he had forgotten his glasses the day that he first put this on and thought that it looked good? Bearing in mind that he also tried to defend the use of snoods, as he considered them a preventative measure for players getting neck injuries, then it is easy to see that the Frenchman is more concerned about practicality than style!
The key seems to be that managers should wear whatever they are comfortable in, but that they should try to look either smart or professional in their appearance. They have enough to worry about before, during and after the match and don’t want to be thinking about whether they look good or not. The job description never said anything about clothing, and the most important aspect is the team and how it plays, so let us not be too harsh and critical of the manager’s wardrobe and you never know, caterpillar coats could be the new trend next season…