Why have managers stopped wearing suits?

Take a close look at the side of the pitch in the Premier League and you might notice one thing missing: the manager's suit.

The days of bosses strutting the technical area in their Sunday best have long gone, with such attire replaced by club tracksuits, puffer coats and polo shirts.

Gone are the days of managers such as Arsene Wenger, Sir Alex Ferguson or Jose Mourinho barking orders in a tailored jacket, pressed trousers, a well-heeled brogue and a tie.

Only Burnley boss Scott Parker turns out in similar finery - a throwback to a bygone era.

So what is behind the change? A drop in standards? Or simply a reflection of wider society?

For Wealdstone manager Sam Cox, the answer to why elite bosses are dressing down is simple: it comes down to authenticity.

The style-conscious National League manager thinks the shift in fashion at the top of football is down to "comfortability" and coaches wanting to be true to their core identity.

"I always believe that fashion is a way of expressing yourself and it is an expression of who I am," the 35-year-old told BBC Sport.

"In my last tenure at Oxford City, I lasted 10 games. I was wearing the club tracksuit, I was doing what they say, I was wearing trainers, not shoes, and I was probably talking a certain way to probably please the people there.

"I feel most comfortable when I'm being my true authentic self. I think it is important that I show that this is who I really am."

Unlike most managers, Cox, who has coached in Baller League and also appeared in the Ted Lasso television series, is active on social media and posts photos of his outfits on Instagram.

A clip of commentators reacting to his outfit in a recent FA Cup game picked up 350,000 views on TikTok.

While he has taken stick from fans and other coaches for his often flamboyant appearance, Cox says he isn't going to change.

"I know I'm different and I love to embrace that," he said. "I've had a lot of snidey comments from opposing managers, but that is also fine. I know I'm different. I'm a Christian vegan black manager in the National League. It's not the norm.

"I think the most important thing is being true to yourself and I'll stand by that."

The number of men wearing suits to work has declined as offices have shifted to a less formal workwear culture and with more people working from home.

But some still think suits are crucial attire and help to maximise performance.

Jake Davies has made a name for himself for wearing a suit while managing in the tracksuit-besotted world of the North West Counties League.

Despite taunts from fans, the Cheadle Town boss embraces his look.

"It is not a gimmick," the 29-year-old told BBC Sport.

"One of the reasons why I dress the way that I do is to embed standards, and to get people to understand that we have to work hard to be successful.

"I expect professional standards. I expect people to get into work mode and in our culture we look to do things professionally. That is where it comes from."

That view is echoed by Joe Bretagne, a Savile Row tailor at Henry Poole & Co, who believes there is a psychology behind how somebody chooses to present.

"A suit can be a suit of armour," he explains. "Putting on a really sharp suit is really going to help you to stand up taller, put your chest out and feel more confident."

That certainly chimes with Burnley manager Parker, who regularly sports a suit.

"From a really young age, it is something that I've always prided myself on," Parker said. "I feel that I'm representing the club and representing myself as well. I always want to feel that I am dressed well and I take pride in that."

Brian Lishak of Richard Anderson tailors has worked on Savile Row since 1956 and has sold suits to a number of sportspeople and clubs. He agrees with the Cheadle Town manager that a suit helps to set a standard.

"To be well attired is not only to be visible to the person to whom you're presenting yourself," he says.

"It makes you feel good, and if you feel good, you feel self-confident."

For some clubs like Rangers, a manager in a suit is a non-negotiable.

It has been an unwritten rule for coaches at Ibrox since legendary boss Bill Struth took charge at the club in 1914.

When Russell Martin arrived in the summer, the 39-year-old broke with tradition and refused to wear a suit, creating a bone of contention with sections of fans.

At the time, Martin said: "I can't wear a shirt and tie on the sidelines because I'm too sweaty. I will wear it [on the way] to games out of respect, but I just can't wear it during the games."

That counted against him among parts of a fanbase that prides itself on tradition and history, and it did not help when coupled with poor results on the pitch.

"It felt like he wasn't respecting tradition and what makes Rangers unique," says Kyran Wallace from the This is Ibrox podcast.

"If we wanted to be like every other club, we would have built a super new modern stadium and moved away from the old dressing rooms and have more tracksuits. But that is why the fans like it. It is unique and they feel it is unique to the manager that he respects the traditions of the club."

When Martin was sacked after just 17 games in October, his replacement Danny Rohl quickly confirmed he would be honouring Stuth's legacy - earning instant approval.

"I think it was an easy win to get started for Danny Rohl," says Wallace. "At Sheffield Wednesday he was a tracksuit manager.

"To anyone outside of Rangers, whether he is wearing a tracksuit, a jumper or a suit, it doesn't really matter to them - but to fans within Rangers, it matters a lot more."

In a world where winning and losing comes down to small margins, managers could be looking at any way to make an impression and improve performance.

"I think certainly in top-level sport, when you are looking for those small psychological gains and margins, I think it really can make a difference," says suit expert Bretagne.

"When you are trying to inspire a team or even sort of intimidate the opposition, I think being well presented is really going to help you achieve that."

While a suit might help to set standards and project an image, Cheadle Town boss Davies says the attire becomes a gimmick if you fail to drive high standards in other departments.

"You've got to be punctual, you've got to be consistent with how you speak to people and how you set your training sessions up," he says.

"Whether you wear a suit or a tracksuit, it doesn't matter too much. It's the everyday things that you're driving on the ground or the standards that you embed."

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