If only it were as easy to achieve the same level of style on the pitch as it were off it. Certainly George Burley will be hoping his squad�s new formal attire helps boost their on-the-field performance
If only it were as easy to achieve the same level of style on the pitch as it were off it.
Certainly George Burley, the Scotland national football team's manager, will be hoping his squad's new formal attire helps boost their on-the-field performance.
Yesterday they revealed a two-year deal with high street retailer Marks & Spencer to kit out McFadden and Co over the course of the World Cup qualifying campaign.
M&S Braehead has provided more than 70 suits to employees of the Scottish Football Association, including coaches, managers and administration staff. The Scotland squad will be wearing the suits on all national team business, including in Iceland tonight.
According to the Scotland manager, skill and fitness aside, Scotland's success as a team also depends on this season's tailoring.
"Looking good and feeling good are crucial to success, so the players really appreciate the gesture by M&S and absolutely love the suits," said the Scotland manager.
"It's key that we arrive in style and hopefully make a big impression both on and off the pitch. It's great to have such fantastic support from our fans, as well as the staff and customers at our local M&S."
Rather than opting for the black one-button suit from the Autograph range for £249, credit crunch restraints may have meant the boys had to tighten the purse strings and go for the cheaper alternative, the navy three button Performance suit at £149.
However, the players' partners will have to be careful not to mix the dry-clean only suit with muddy football kits, but can take solace with the non-iron cotton shirt at £25.
The Scotland squad's new attire was yesterday given the seal of approval by Elizabeth McMeekin, fashion columnist with The Herald.
She said: "While footballers like David Beckham might get suited and booted by Armani, the Scotland team have done well to smarten up their look with this high street retailer.
"Marks & Spencer, although not a catwalk designer, are seen as one of the more fashion forward names on the British high street, using models such as Twiggy and Lily Cole to increase their profile.
"The team's choice of a simple, but smart, suit reflects their unflashy attitude and certainly suggests they mean business."
As the M&S-clad squad compete with national counterparts draped in designer suits hot off the runway, competition on and off the pitch will be at fever pitch.
In June, Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, whose creations are worn by Kylie Minogue and Madonna, created a stylish new wardrobe for the Italian national football team.
The squad debuted custom-tailored one-button dark blue suits, classic white shirts and narrow blue silk ties at the 2008 European Cup football tournament. Dolce and Gabbana also designed suits for AC Milan and those worn by the Chinese Olympic football team at last month's Beijing Olympics.
The collaboration with the Italy squad was the latest in a line of recent designer makeovers for famed European football teams, including Giorgio Armani for Chelsea FC and Paul Smith for Manchester United.
The marriage of fashion and football has been an enduring partnership, with many a "football fashion faux pas" along the way.
Who could forget the cream Armani suits, modelled by the Liverpool team in the 1996 FA Cup final against Manchester United, when an embarrassing assault on the senses made sure the team bagged a place on the fashion wall of shame.
A variation on the beige suit made an unwelcome reappearance in the form of British designer Paul Smith's creation, commissioned by Glenn Hoddle for the 1998 England World Cup squad.
Smith had suggested navy suits for the squad, but Hoddle wanted something more "summery" and asked for dark beige. The result was a fashion disaster.
In May this year Smith teamed up with Manchester United Football Club to design and supply the team players with formal wear and accessories for the next three years.
Back on the high street, Burton Menswear provided the official England uniform in 1966 as well as Euro 2000 in Belgium and Holland, and at 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea.
As tonight's side dress for success, fingers are crossed that the suit gives Burley's men the winning edge.
