The only redeeming factor of the football hiatus which spreads across Europe through our summer months is the fact it gives us fans the opportunity to realise just how much we love the sport. The absence of the beautiful game gives us the chance to recharge our emotional batteries, rekindle hope and discuss who will, and who won’t be appearing in our respective team’s colours come the dawn of the new season.

Thankfully, the break is over and Europe’s elite from England to Italy, Germany to Spain, are now restoring some much needed parity to us football obsessed men. But while the players are sweating it out on the pitch, off it, managers are doing their utmost to retain a sense of cool while handling the pressure bestowed upon them by chairman, club owners and fans alike.

Footballers are hardly renowned for their sense of style – David Beckham aside, footballers still think tracksuits and dressing like hip-hop stars equate to style – but their managers on the other hand often cut a sartorial elegance while gesticulating wildly at their players to obey their every instruction.

Here is a quick look at five of the best

JOSE MOURINHO

His hair may be greyer and his face a little more cantankerous, but the self titled “special one” brings a sense of suave sophistication back to the English game thanks to those well cut suits, long winter coats and an air of sophistication oft-lacking in his English counterparts. Mourinho is the Sinatra of the football style fraternity, many will follow in his path, but no one can match this stylish behemoth and his bravado.

ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS

Andre Villas-Boas or AVB to those who know their football parlance, is the manager of Tottenham Hotspur and very much the pupil to Mourinho’s teaching in both the football and fashion sense. Once an assistant to Mourinho, this fellow portuguese native has followed the same sartorial path with sharp fitting suits de rigueur as he crouches Zen like on the touch line. With youth very much on his side, “AVB is a tender 35 years of age”, when Mourinho does eventually hang up the suit, the pretender will be ready and waiting to steal his throne.

PEP GUARDIOLA

The diminutive Spaniard may have traded his homeland to take up the reigns of German giants Bayern Munich but he has clearly taken his wardrobe with him. Short sleeve shirts, light grey suits, khaki chinos and v-neck jumper / tie combinations all add up to make Guardiola one of the best dressed men in football. Normally, any man parading about with a shirt undone and waving his arms frantically would be deemed somewhat eccentric but somehow Pep just makes it look cool.

ROBERTO MANCINI

Other than goals, the former Italian striker is known for one thing: scarves. Whether it was leading Inter Milan or Manchester City to leage titles in their respective nations, Mancini made those winter scarves look amazing. Wrapped up in a larger winter jacket, the long grey hair of this notoriously complex character always sat spectacularly upon a scarf of colours chosen to represent the teams he managed. And of course being an Italian, Mancini wears a suit with aplomb.

JOACHIM LOW

Not many men can get away with wearing a t-shirt under a suit but German national coach Low (and his team of assistants) carried it off in style during the 2014 World Cup Finals in South Africa. Black suits worn with a small v-neck t-shirt wouldn’t necessarily be everyone’s idea of football attire but then Low has always been one to challenge the football landscape. And with those shirt sleeves rolled so perfectly, Low clearly knows a thing or two about style.

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