Pep Guardiola has chosen to wear a ‘Mdcr’ jumper to several Man City matches recently, and people are curious what it means.
Typically, football managers don a tracksuit or a suit when on the sidelines. Generally speaking, the character of the manager dictates their pitch-side attire.
Jurgen Klopp, famed for his energetic approach and animated actions in the technical area, opts to wear a tracksuit and a cap. Similarly, former Stoke boss Tony Pulis became known for his cap.
On the other hand, there are managers such as Jose Mourinho, when he first came to the Premier League, and Arsene Wenger. These managers chose to wear smart suits while they barked orders to their team.
Of course, there have been exceptions to this rule. Wearing a suit by no means suppresses the raw passion of Tottenham manager Antonio Conte, who is just as animated as Klopp on the touchline.
The same can be said for Mourinho at Chelsea, and Paolo di Canio at Sunderland, who both performed knee slides down the touchline at times during their reigns.
Changing times
Over the years, managers have altered their approach. As tactical philosophies have evolved, so have the clothing choices of Premier League bosses.
It has become common practice for managers to wear their own clothing, rather than a club branded suit or tracksuit. Guardiola epitomises this approach.
Since the Spaniard arrived in Manchester in 2017, we have seen him don scarves, polo shirts and even white trainers. The traditionalists can’t have been pleased with this.
The jumper has long been associated with Guardiola, just like the long-zip coat is a trademark of Wenger.
Pep Guardiola’s ‘Mdcr’ jumper
The new ‘Mdcr’ jumper worn by Pep Guardiola is part of a new range from Man City kit suppliers Puma. The Spaniard has worn both the grey and black versions, but the black one appears to be his favourite.
The four-letter abbreviation stands for ‘Madchester,’ which was coined in the 1980s and 90s due to the city’s musical buzz.
The phrase wasn’t just associated with the Happy Mondays, Stone Roses and Oasis. It has links to the massive raves and gigs that Manchester was known for at the time.
Rundown buildings and warehouses became the venues for many of these gigs. ‘Madchester’ hints at the scenes that were likely to occur inside these places.
Puma and Manchester
Since becoming Man City’s kit supplier in 2019, Puma have made subtle nods to Manchester’s heritage. Last season, City’s home, away and third shirts all had nods to the city.
The home kit took inspiration from the Manchester mosaics. Meanwhile, the away kit was based on the famous Castlefield Locks, and the third kit’s paisley pattern drew associations with bands like Oasis.
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