Tim Sherwood’s time in charge of Tottenham may have been brief and generally ridiculed but he did make one important statement: the gilet.
With the garment now set to take a few months off, we should be grateful that Tim was brave enough to follow in the footsteps of some other trail-blazing, fashion-conscious managers. It’s an exclusive club.
1. Jose Mourinho and that magnificent overcoat.
In many ways, Jose redefined how a top-flight football manager looked. Here was a man, with his olive skin and salt ‘n’ pepper hair, who captured the era perfectly. By 2004, the Premier League wasn’t just a place for for hard-nosed, square-jawed locals but, instead, was embracing its cosmopolitan side.
Mourinho, with his sharp suits, chains and rings, looked more like a love interest from a daytime soap opera than an autocratic football coach. And that’s why we loved him.
Oh, and that coat of course.
BUT…
Recently, particularly since he’s reached the half century, Jose has let his standards slip. He began to enjoy the comforts of baggy tracksuits during his stint at Real Madrid and, rather unforgivably, has continued that trend since returning to England. His recent sartorial offering at Anfield will live long in the memory – for all the wrong reasons.
Jose has moved to the dark side…chav chic. We might never get him back.
2. Arsene Wenger and the puffer jacket
We’ve all been there. That one item of the wardrobe that never gets old. The reliable friend. Put it on and you instantly feel so much better. Loyalty.
Arsene Wenger is loyal to his puffer jacket. There’s an affection there, built up over many years together. And even when it misbehaves, Wenger offers it nothing but support.
And when it misbehaves again, Wenger, instead of caving in and changing his ways, sticks to his age-old way. Sound familiar?
3. Pep Guardiola and his sweater/blazer combination
With the shaved head, grizzly beard and appreciation for well-tailored clothing, Guardiola is the poster-boy for the successful, middle-aged, modern man. He also, on occasion, looks like a model for Marks and Spencer’s Autograph range.
This season alone, he’s upped the stakes. Yes, the sweater (in a variety of shades and colours) partnered with the finely-fitted blazer has become his trademark but he’s bravely ventured down the road of polo-necks, with mixed results. It’s such a fine line between successful, middle-aged, modern man and…a Bond villain.
4. Manuel Pellegrini and the hoodie
Pellegrini is a distinguished, older gentleman. We know him best for his cool, calm demeanor that’s deftly complemented by his clothing choices. But there was something incredibly impressive in the way that he embraced his ‘Northern Soul’, investigated his new-found appreciation for urban life and defiantly wore a hoodie during Manchester City’s FA Cup Sixth Round clash against Wigan.
For a sixty-year old to remain open to new influences is always laudable. Sadly, the hoodie hasn’t been given an airing since. And that’s a travesty.
5. Paul Tisdale and…everything
Though Tisdale manages in League Two, his style is nothing less than Premier League (see what we did there?) and he’s deserving of much more attention than the 3700 fans that normally attend an Exeter City home game.
In the past he’s embraced cravats and flat caps but, what’s to be celebrated is the dedication. On every game-day, Tisdale is impeccably put-together with his whole ensemble meticulously assembled.
Now, if only the same could be said for his football team..
6. And there’s a special place for those that accessorise
(a) Roberto Mancini and his scarf
(b) Tony Pulis and his baseball cap
(c) And finally…Steve McClaren and that umbrella
