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Transpired he could survive losing against lower-league opposition. He weathered a decisive European final against one of the worst Tottenham teams in living memory. He withstood home defeats to domestic rivals, a lowly league position, an unwavering system, squandering some of the club’s best homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, labeling the squad the poorest in Manchester United history. But there was one adversary against whom the Portuguese coach was not permitted to dance. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous Premiership defender during Blackburn Rovers' title-winning campaign, Amorim came at Jason Wilcox and seems to have failed. The most distracted of readers can see the paradoxical situation: a manager who frequently berated at his players for failing in individual battles succumbing when confronted by the white heat and animal charisma of a England's top division's most feared sporting directors.

In truth, this whole painful saga appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been tempting, based on his brief stint in a similar role at Southampton, to view him as little more than a functionary in the United exoskeleton: a man who owed his position as much to his close relationship with ex-colleague a fellow executive as any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated head coach, just as he bested the hapless a previous executive before him, Jason Wilcox has proved himself as one of the sport’s true generals: a strategic mind that the club's competitors will now be rightly wary.

A Tactical Clash Regarding System & Philosophy

For example, this was the director who having been part of the leadership that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach originally, played a key role in attempting to convince Amorim to abandon his favored 3-4-3. Naturally, these entreaties were resisted. However, such directives carry more weight when issued by a man with the unimpeachable soccer background he possesses, holder of three England caps and a contributor to a championship team from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually he may be persuaded to explain his reasoning to the rest of us. Perhaps at some point he might be asked regarding why the coach is departing with a full payout, with no penalty clause activated. The director seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as him – simply operate on a plane exceeding our mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, most likely we would perceive would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Wanting is not equivalent to being ready to comprehend it.

An Ultimate Authority Behind Command

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the modern United throne. The director is, in reality, merely executing the directives of his ultimate superior the billionaire owner, who privately has emphasized his preference for a four-man defense. It is reported, the owner has also suggested deploying the forward as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for the club to adopt analytics and analytics. Per reports, in an executive meeting soon after his investment, he announced that United’s style of play “shall be determined by this group”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is a specialist in these intricate football matters, drawing from his previous experience in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he remains immensely wealthy, and it is known, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply superior. Who else would you trust to manage an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that appears a lot like an abstract design, the signing of Benjamin Sesko?

The New Soccer Order: Executives Over Managers

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent in top-tier football. Historically, teams mistakenly entrusted major sporting choices to low-level employees such as coaches, scouts – even footballers. Maybe previously feasible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with a philosophy and drive to go into a club and implement their plan through to completion. But how many businesses have these guys set up? What number of mass redundancies have they overseen? Better by far to place the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive professional resumes. Better by far to determine the strategy in the boardroom and hire a coach who can tailor their offering accordingly. If coaches were formerly chefs, they are now more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not really responsible for the product, but still ultimately answerable should it be delivered cold or leaks out to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly less about defining the vision and more about selling it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the public face for a club they can do little to influence. A coach at Chelsea leads a team of literal children into the Champions League and secures domestic cups, and effectively is dismissed for talking. A manager at Celtic sees his reputation ruined whereas the people who hired him live to blunder indefinitely.

A Neoliberal Game: Accountability for the Few

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents neoliberalism in action: the rise of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose decisions are always untouchable, whose mistakes can always be resolved by sacking without explanation. Appoint the system coach and then fire them for using too much 3-4-3. Bring in the project manager and later discard them for taking too long. And above all show gratitude; for the incremental increases in ticket costs, for your new summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – however well qualified – are in charge.