Amorim's Fatal Error? Taking On Wilcox and the Unassailable Executive Tier

Transpired Ruben Amorim could survive a loss to Grimsby. He weathered a decisive European final against a particularly poor Spurs sides for many years. He could survive losing at home to West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, undermining the team's most promising academy products, a poor winning percentage, labeling his team the poorest in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to engage. You come at the sporting director, you had better succeed.

In truth, this whole painful saga appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been tempting, based on his nine months in a similar role at Southampton, to regard Jason Wilcox as little more than a functionary in the United exoskeleton: a man who owed his position as much to his friendship with his former boss a fellow executive rather than any verifiable talent. How mistaken we all were. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless a previous executive before him, Jason Wilcox has proved himself as one of the sport’s strategic masterminds: a strategic mind of which United’s mid-table rivals will now be justifiably concerned.

A Strategic Clash Regarding System and Ideology

For example, this was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the hierarchy that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach originally, was instrumental in trying to persuade him to ditch his beloved formation. Naturally, these entreaties faced pushback. But perhaps such directives hold greater authority when issued by a man with the impeccable soccer background he possesses, holder of international appearances and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually Jason Wilcox might agree to explain his reasoning publicly. Maybe one day he might be asked why Amorim is departing with a full payout, with no compensation reduction clause activated. The director speaks rarely in public, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers of this sport – men like him – function on a plane exceeding our prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, probably all we would hear would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Wanting is not the same as being ready to comprehend it.

The Ultimate Power Behind the Throne

But of course, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we overlook the true genius behind the modern United throne. The director is, in reality, merely executing the commands of his superior the billionaire owner, who privately has made very clear his desire for a back four. According to reports, Ratcliffe has also suggested deploying the forward as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to adopt data science and metrics. Per reports, in an executive meeting soon after his minority ownership, he announced that the team's approach to football “will be decided by this group”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is a specialist in these intricate footballing stuff, leveraging his background in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he remains immensely wealthy, and it is known, the rich are the best of us: more perceptive, more wise, strategically brilliant, simply superior. Who else could one trust to manage a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that looks a lot like an abstract design, the signing of a new striker?

The New Football Hierarchy: Executives Over Coaches

This is a trend that is becoming prevalent in top-tier of the game. Historically, teams mistakenly delegated big footballing decisions to low-level employees like managers, talent spotters – even footballers. Maybe previously possible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with ideas and drive to join an organization and see their vision through to completion. Yet how many companies have these guys established? How many large-scale layoffs have they managed? Better by far to invest genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive LinkedIn profiles. It is wiser to determine the tactics by the directors and appoint a coach who will adapt their offering accordingly. If managers were once chefs, they are now more like Deliveroo drivers: not creating the product, yet finally accountable should it be delivered cold or fails of the box.

In the meantime, a coach's role is increasingly not about defining the vision and more about selling it: the front-facing representative of the operation, the visible figurehead of an organisation they have minimal power to change. A coach at Chelsea leads a team of literal children into Europe and wins domestic cups, and effectively is dismissed for talking. Wilfried Nancy finds his reputation ruined while the people who hired him continue to make errors indefinitely.

A Modern Corporate Game: Accountability Only for the Coaches

And possibly on some microcosmic level this is simply neoliberalism in action: the rise of a gilded overclass who are infallible, whose decisions are always untouchable, whose mistakes can always be resolved by sacking without justification. Hire the system coach only to fire him for playing excessively 3-4-3. Hire the process guy and later discard them for requiring excessive time. And above all be grateful; for your modest season ticket price rises, for your new player acquisitions, for the reality that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.