Long-distance football managers like Lampard, Mourinho, Slot and Pulis balance commuting, family life and club duties, citing both challenges and benefits.
Several Premier League managers have chosen to live far from the clubs they coach. Coventry manager Frank Lampard splits his time between the Midlands and his family home in London. Former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho lived in a hotel suite while managing the club, also based in London. Liverpool manager Arne Slot resided in Hale, Greater Manchester, about an hour’s drive from Anfield, to stay close to Manchester Airport for trips to the Netherlands where his family lives. Tony Pulis kept a family home on the south coast while managing Stoke City and later Middlesbrough, resulting in round‑trip commutes of 320‑400 miles.
In a BBC Sport interview, Pulis explained that he spent most of the working week near the club but drove home after games. He said the three‑hour drives gave him uninterrupted time to prepare for the next match, make phone calls to chairman Peter Coates, assistants David Kemp and Gerry Francis, and the chief scout, and review opponent footage. He described the solitude of the car as valuable for concentration, contrasting it with the distractions of an office environment.
Pulis added that living away from the club did not prevent him from understanding Stoke City’s identity or connecting with fans. He emphasized the need to be present for training and other duties, stating he would never try to work remotely and that any manager would “do the right thing to make him and the team successful.” The piece reflects Pulis’s personal experience but does not provide broader data on how widespread long‑distance arrangements are among managers.