What Every Premier League Manager's Style Says About Them: PART 2

Hello and welcome!

Not sure how you're doing today, but I continue to fantasize about two things: a full night of uninterrupted sleep and Arsenal winning the quadruple. One of those dreams is slightly more realistic than the other, but I'll let you decide which.

One thing that is more reliable than my delusion, however, is the fact that Premier League managers continue to entertain us with their touchline fashion choices.

...Which brings us to Part 2 of "What Every Premier League Manager's Style Says About Them."

If you somehow missed Part 1 (first of all, how dare you), you can catch up right here before diving in. I’ve already unpacked the likes of Mikel Arteta’s lucky sock drawer and Scott Parker’s Regency-era cosplay — and now it’s time to continue our highly scientific analysis of touchline fashion psychology.

Ready?

Leeds: Daniel Farke

Headlines underground Berlin music festivals in his spare time

With a few exceptions, most Premier League managers don't gravitate towards color. But then there's Daniel Farke, who's just living out his "Men in Black" / "Terminator" fantasy. Or maybe he's secretly a goth?

He's almost always dressed entirely in black: black top, black jeans, black trainers, the long coat that media have lovingly dubbed the "Farke Parka." If you told me he plays bass in a German rock band and reads Nietzsche in his free time, I would not question it.

And yet, despite this aesthetic commitment to darkness, the man does have taste.

After Arsenal’s 4–0 win at Elland Road, Daniel described them as “the best side currently in Europe,” so clearly, he recognizes excellence when he sees it.

Liverpool: Arne Slot

Wants to avoid any comparisons to Jürgen Klopp

Arne Slot thinks the pinnacle of fashion is layering a sweater over a collared shirt.

See Exhibit A.

And Exhibit B.

The rest of his look is fine (tailored trousers, snazzy sneakers, navy coat) but that sweater is really giving H&M. And I say this with love, as someone who spent many a paycheck at the store myself.

I feel like that sweater is a metaphor for Liverpool’s season so far. It's a little mismatched, very sweaty, and working hard to hold everything together.

OR maybe Arne's just trying to remind us that he's not Jürgen Klopp. Because yeah, Arne opts for a tracksuit from time to time, but you and I both know there was only ever one tracksuit king at Anfield.

Manchester City: Pep Guardiola

Knows the value of following female advice

Pep Guardiola isn’t just one of the most influential managers of the 21st century tactically speaking — he’s also reshaped touchline fashion for the better.

Whether you remember his modeling career, his early coaching days back when he still had hair, that time he paired distressed denim with a hoodie emblazoned with a giant "P," that turtleneck-and-coat combo he so often favored, or his range of very cool MDCR ensembles, there is arguably no look Pep can't pull off.

But perhaps none of these sartorial triumphs would have happened without his ex-wife, Cristina Serra. As Pep told media in 2022, "My wife is so elegant, she helps me a lot [with my fashion]. Before her, I was a disaster. Now I'm elegant thanks to her."

Translation: Pep might be a tactical genius, but when it comes to fashion, he’s just following the advice of someone smarter than him. Men everywhere should take note.

Manchester United: Michael Carrick

Has a weekly watch stipend

Michael Carrick might not be at Manchester United for a long time, but he's definitely here for a good time.

How do I know? Look at his wrist. He doesn't mess around when it comes to arm candy.

The watch pictured above is a Rolex Daytona from the "Shades of Blue Challenge Project," and I scrolled around aimlessly on the Rolex page for like ten full minutes before realizing it's a custom piece.

Then there's this big, black, gear-forward monstrosity (right side^^). I'm told it's a Richard Mille 011 Black Phantom, and if that means anything other than gibberish to you, congrats on being a watch connoisseur. Apparently, there were only 50 models made of that particular watch and it retails for upwards of $300K.

Well, now we know why Man United couldn't afford Antoine Semenyo.

Newcastle: Eddie Howe

Is just one of the lads

I have never seen Eddie Howe in anything other than a Newcastle-emblazoned tracksuit. I imagine he sleeps in it, too.

Not only is it always a Newcastle tracksuit, it's always tight. Why is it so tight?!

I guess those gym-honed calf muscles aren't going to show themselves without a lil bit of help!

Eddie definitely aspires to be "one of the lads," but as for whether he's one of the best-dressed lads.... well, let's just say it's not his style that's getting him high-fived in the dressing room.

Nottingham Forest: Vitor Pereira

Packs super light

People love to say "it's a small world," but nowhere is this truer than the world of elite football managers. Managers get fired and immediately hired by someone else—and Vítor Pereira is out here jumping from one club-in-crisis to another like it’s a connecting flight.

Which makes his wardrobe feel very on brand.

Vitor has embraced a comfort-trumps-style philosophy that's perfect for a man trying to keep his head down while shepherding teams through crisis. On the touchline, he's usually in club-branded tracksuits or some form of sleek yet neutral outerwear. It's the sartorial equivalent of damage control.

And I just have the feeling Vitor is the kind of person who packs like two T-shirts and 3 pairs of boxers for a week-long trip. Why overpack when you're living on the manager merry-go-round?

Ask him about his wardrobe, and he'd probably tell you he's focused on results, not the runway. Fair enough. Although, given how quickly jobs can change in this league, it’s comforting to know he’s already dressed for departure.

Sunderland: Regis Le Bris

Owns 12 different versions of the same windbreaker

Regis Le Bris may be French, but he's gone in the opposite direction of "Emily in Paris."

You won't see him experimenting with chunky knits à la Fabian Hurzeler, or trying out a statement blazer like Scott Parker.

Nope. Regis appreciates clean lines and slim-fit tracksuits; like most French people, he wouldn't be caught dead in baggy silhouette. He typically goes for function over fashion — which is why he's spent a good portion of the season in that Sunderland windbreaker, all zipped up like he’s got more important things than fashion to worry about (which, to be fair, he does).

And hey! It’s practical, it’s understated, it gets the job done.

But just because Regis keeps things low-key doesn't mean he can't turn it on when the moment calls for it.

For the Championship play-off last year, he rocked up to Wembley in a suit looking ... how you say .... très chic?

Tottenham: Igor Tudor

Thinks he's Harry Da Souza from "Mobland"

First, a moment of silence for our sleeper agent Thomas Frank, whose deep undercover work at Tottenham was exposed after he was spotted drinking out of an Arsenal cup.

Thomas, thanks for your service, mate.

Earlier this year, Tottenham pulled the emergency brake on their season, fired poor Thomas, and brought in Igor Tudor — a man who's globally known as the fixer. The premium, continental upgrade on the Sam Allardyce/Harry Rednapp emergency hotline, if you will.

If there's a dressing room mutiny brewing or a back line that hasn't kept a clean sheet this year (cough* Tottenham * cough), Igor's already halfway down the motorway in a blacked-out SUV.

Naturally, he's got to dress the part. He almost exclusively wears dark, tailored performance gear — black puffer jackets, sharp technical coats, occasionally something that suggests he owns a balaclava.

But even Igor can't fix the dumpster fire going on in the lesser part of North London. So now, he's just dressing for Tottenham's funeral.

West Ham: Nuno Espirito Santo

Orders the same thing off the menu every time

While other managers are out here experimenting with knitwear or the occasional statement coat, Nuno Espirito Santo has made tracksuits his whole personality. He wears them every single match day without fail.

But you know what? It makes sense because it mirrors his football.

Why overcomplicate things when you can keep it compact, disciplined, and brutally effective? Nuno's entire philosophy (both sartorial and technical) is built on consistency. Sure, this isn't tiki-taka football, but he values structure, clarity, and doing the basics really well.

Let others chase variety and build out from the back! Nuno's just going to do the same thing he's always done, and it's working out fine.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Rob Edwards

Is staying under the radar

Remember when Rob Edwards accidentally became a sex symbol after this post-match interview at Luton went viral?

The ladies were feral in the comments. Perhaps my favorite of all:

But the media attention may have been too much. Luton were relegated and Rob got another job at Middlesbrough, which he then left to coach at Wolves. Despite their recent uptick in form, Wolves are still rock bottom and look doomed to relegation.

So why would Rob take that job in the first place?

Simple. It's the same reason he's been wearing lots of neutral, sleek jackets lately —often club-branded or from brands like Sandbanks — paired with black hoodies and his trusty Nike Air Max trainers. Rob just wants to stay warm, stay functional, and ideally, stay off every "hunky manager" list in circulation.

Godspeed, sir.