What exactly does a club’s 'DNA' mean – and do managers really need it?

Frank Lampard Chelsea flag

“Freddie has Arsenal DNA,” said Josh Kroenke. So interim manager Freddie Ljungberg does, along with his temporary assistant Per Mertesacker, Under-23 coach Steve Bould, Robert Pires, who is being tipped to join Ljungberg’s backroom staff, and possible long-term choices such as Mikel Arteta and Patrick Vieira. Meanwhile, Frank Lampard, Jody Morris, Ashley Cole, Petr Cech and Eddie Newton have Chelsea DNA. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Mike Phelan and Michael Carrick have Manchester United DNA. Brian Kidd has Manchester City’s, though he had United’s when he coached there. Jurgen Klopp thinks Steven Gerrard, who has Liverpool DNA, should succeed him. Steve Bruce, Dean Smith, Eddie Howe and Chris Wilder already manage clubs whose DNA they share.

Welcome to the age of DNA. It has entered the footballing vocabulary to such an extent that the Premier League seems to discuss it more than the average scientist. It is tempting to wonder if the recent emphasis on DNA, on the magical, mystical qualities involved in ‘knowing the club’ has gone too far and that being part of the Class of ’92 does not actually qualify Robbie Savage to manage United.

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Richard Jolly

Richard Jolly also writes for the National, the Guardian, the Observer, the Straits Times, the Independent, Sporting Life, Football 365 and the Blizzard. He has written for the FourFourTwo website since 2018 and for the magazine in the 1990s and the 2020s, but not in between. He has covered 1500+ games and remembers a disturbing number of the 0-0 draws.