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Iturns out he could survive losing against lower-league opposition. Survive losing a crucial European final versus a particularly poor Spurs sides for many years. He could survive home defeats against domestic rivals, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, squandering some of the club’s best academy products, a poor winning percentage, calling his team the poorest the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed one adversary with whom the Portuguese coach was not permitted to engage. You come at the sporting director, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, like many a Premiership right-back in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, Amorim took on the executive and seems to have failed. The most distracted of readers can see the irony here: a coach who often railed at his players for losing one-on-one duels succumbing when confronted by the intense pressure and formidable presence of a England's top division's most feared football executives.

And frankly, this entire bruising episode appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been easy, based on his nine months of experience with the Saints, to regard him as merely a drudge in the United exoskeleton: an individual whose appointment was due as much to his close relationship with his former boss a fellow executive rather than any verifiable talent. How wrong we all were. In brilliantly outsmarting United’s feted head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate Dan Ashworth before him, Jason Wilcox has proved himself to be among football's strategic masterminds: a strategic mind of which the club's mid-table rivals are now justifiably concerned.

A Tactical Clash Regarding System & Philosophy

For example, this was the director , after being involved in the leadership that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist the coach in the first place, was instrumental in trying to persuade Amorim to ditch his favored 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties faced pushback. But perhaps these judgements carry more weight when issued from the mouth with the impeccable football pedigree of Jason Wilcox, a veteran of three England caps and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he might agree to explain his thought processes to the rest of us. Maybe one day he might be asked regarding why the coach is walking away with full compensation, without any penalty clause activated. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as Jason Wilcox – simply operate on a plane beyond our own mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, probably all we would hear is a series of ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not the same as being ready to receive.

The Ultimate Power Behind Command

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we are obscuring the true genius behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, after all, merely executing the directives of his superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who privately has emphasized his preference for a back four. According to reports, the owner has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for the club to embrace analytics and metrics. Per reports, in an executive meeting early in his minority ownership, he declared that United’s style of play “shall be decided in this room”.

After all, Ratcliffe is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in petrochemicals and sailing. Most importantly he remains incredibly rich, and it is known, the wealthy are superior: more perceptive, sagacious, strategically brilliant, fundamentally superior. Who else could one trust to oversee an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the building of a modern arena that looks similar to an abstract design, the signing of Benjamin Sesko?

The Modern Soccer Hierarchy: Executives Over Coaches

This is a trend that is becoming prevalent in top-tier football. Historically, clubs foolishly delegated big footballing decisions to subordinate staff such as coaches, talent spotters – players themselves. Maybe previously feasible for a young, visionary coach with a philosophy and drive to join an organization and implement their plan through to completion. But how many businesses have these guys established? How many mass redundancies have they overseen? Far preferable to invest the real power where it belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive professional resumes. It is wiser to determine the tactics by the directors and hire someone who will adapt their methods to suit. If managers were formerly chefs, they are now more akin to delivery personnel: not responsible for the product, but still ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or fails of the box.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly not about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the visible figurehead for a club they have minimal power to change. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of very young players into the Champions League and wins two medium-sized trophies, and essentially is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy finds his reputation ruined whereas the people who hired him continue to make errors another day.

A Neoliberal Football: Accountability for the Few

And possibly on some microcosmic level this represents neoliberalism in action: the elevation of a gilded elite who are infallible, whose decisions are always untouchable, whose mistakes can invariably be resolved by sacking without justification. Appoint the system coach only to fire him for playing too much that system. Bring in the process guy and then discard them for taking too long. And most importantly be grateful; for the incremental increases in ticket costs, for the latest summer signings, for the reality that the adults – regardless of their expertise – are in charge.