🔗 Share this article

Transpired Ruben Amorim endured defeat by Grimsby. Survive an important European final against a particularly poor Tottenham teams for many years. He withstood losing at home against domestic rivals, a lowly league position, his rigid approach, squandering some of the club’s most promising homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, calling his team the poorest in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to dance. You come at the sporting director, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous Premiership right-back in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, Amorim took on the executive and seems to have failed. Even the most casual observer can see the paradoxical situation: a manager who frequently berated his squad for losing individual battles crumbling when confronted by the intense pressure and animal charisma of one of England's top division's most feared football executives.

In truth, this entire painful saga seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a whole new light. It may have been tempting, given his brief stint in a similar role at Southampton, to view him as merely a drudge in the United exoskeleton: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with his former boss a fellow executive rather than any demonstrable skill. How wrong we all were. In brilliantly outsmarting United’s feted manager, just as he bested the hapless Dan Ashworth before him, Jason Wilcox has proved himself to be among the sport’s strategic masterminds: a strategic mind that the club's competitors are now justifiably concerned.

The Tactical Clash Regarding System & Philosophy

For example, it was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the leadership that appointed the 3-4-3 fundamentalist Amorim in the first place, played a key role in trying to persuade him to abandon his favored 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties were resisted. However, such directives hold greater authority when issued from the mouth with the impeccable football pedigree of Jason Wilcox, holder of international appearances and a contributor to a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he may be persuaded to explain his reasoning to the rest of us. Maybe one day questions may arise regarding why the coach is walking away with full compensation, with no compensation reduction clause in place. The director seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The true intellectuals of this sport – individuals such as him – function at a level exceeding our mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, probably all we would hear would be ultrasonic blips and four-dimensional whirring. Wanting is not quite equivalent to being prepared to comprehend it.

An Ultimate Power In the Throne

But of course, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we overlook the real power behind the club's current leadership. The director is, after all, simply carrying out the directives of his line manager the billionaire owner, who privately has emphasized his desire for a four-man defense. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also suggested deploying the forward in a wing-back role. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to adopt analytics and metrics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting soon after his investment, he announced that United’s style of play “shall be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is a specialist in these intricate footballing stuff, leveraging his previous experience in industry and sailing. Above all he remains incredibly rich, and as we all know, the wealthy are superior: more perceptive, more wise, strategically brilliant, fundamentally better. Whom else would you trust to manage a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the construction of a modern arena that appears similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of a new striker?

The Modern Soccer Hierarchy: Directors Above Coaches

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent in top-tier football. Historically, clubs foolishly delegated big footballing decisions to subordinate staff such as coaches, talent spotters – even footballers. Maybe previously feasible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with ideas and drive to go into a club and see their vision supported to fruition. Yet how many companies have such individuals set up? What number of large-scale layoffs have they managed? Better by far to place genuine authority where it belongs: the executive class, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with impressive professional resumes. Better by far to decide the strategy in the boardroom and appoint someone who will adapt their offering to suit. If coaches were once chefs, they have become more akin to delivery personnel: not really responsible for the food, but still finally accountable if it arrives cold or fails to meet standards.

Nowadays, a coach's role has become not about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative of the operation, the visible figurehead of an organisation they have minimal power to influence. A coach at Chelsea leads a team of literal children into the Champions League and wins domestic cups, and essentially gets sacked for talking. Wilfried Nancy finds his standing damaged while those individuals who hired him continue to make errors indefinitely.

The Modern Corporate Football: Accountability for the Coaches

And possibly in a small way this is simply neoliberalism in action: the elevation of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose decisions remain untouchable, whose mistakes can invariably be sacked away without justification. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach and then dismiss them for playing too much 3-4-3. Hire the process guy and then discard them for requiring excessive time. And most importantly show gratitude; for the incremental increases in ticket costs, for the latest summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – are in charge.