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Tbecame clear he could survive defeat by lower-league opposition. He weathered a decisive European final against one of the worst Spurs sides for many years. He withstood losing at home against West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, squandering some of the club’s best homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, labeling the squad the worst in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to dance. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous Premiership right-back in Blackburn’s championship campaign, Amorim came at Jason Wilcox and seems to have missed. Even the most casual observer will notice the paradoxical situation: a coach who often railed at his players for failing in individual battles succumbing in the face of the white heat and formidable presence of one of England's top division's most feared football executives.

And frankly, this entire painful saga appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been easy, given his brief stint of experience with the Saints, to view Jason Wilcox as little more than a functionary within the club's structure: a man who owed his position as much to his close relationship with his former boss Omar Berrada as any verifiable talent. How mistaken we all were. In brilliantly outsmarting the club's celebrated manager, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate a previous executive earlier, he has proved himself as one of the sport’s strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that the club's competitors are now justifiably concerned.

A Strategic Clash Regarding Formation and Ideology

For example, it was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the leadership that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist the coach in the first place, played a key role in trying to persuade him to ditch his favored 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these pleas faced pushback. But perhaps these judgements carry more weight when issued from the mouth with the impeccable football pedigree of Jason Wilcox, holder of international appearances and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually Jason Wilcox may be persuaded to outline his reasoning to the rest of us. Perhaps at some point questions may arise why Amorim is walking away with full compensation, without any compensation reduction clause in place. But Jason Wilcox speaks rarely publicly, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers in football – individuals such as 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. Desiring an explanation is not equivalent to being ready to comprehend it.

An Supreme Power In Command

But of course, in training our focus on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the club's current leadership. The director is, in reality, merely executing the commands of his ultimate superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who privately has made very clear his desire for a back four. It is reported, the owner has also proposed deploying the forward as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for United to adopt analytics and analytics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting early in his minority ownership, he declared that United’s style of play “shall be determined by this group”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is an expert in this technical footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in industry and sailing. Most importantly he remains incredibly rich, and it is known, the wealthy are superior: more insightful, more wise, strategically brilliant, fundamentally better. Who else could one trust to oversee a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that appears similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of a new striker?

The New Football Order: Executives Above Managers

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels of the game. For decades, clubs foolishly delegated major sporting choices to low-level employees like managers, scouts – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with a philosophy and energy to go into a club and see their vision supported to fruition. Yet how many businesses have such individuals established? How many mass redundancies have they managed? Far preferable to invest genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to determine the tactics in the boardroom and appoint someone who will adapt their methods accordingly. If coaches were formerly chefs, they have become more like delivery personnel: not responsible for the food, but still finally accountable should it be delivered poorly or leaks out to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly less about crafting the philosophy and more about selling it: the front-facing representative of the operation, the public face of an organisation they have minimal power to influence. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of very young players into the Champions League and secures domestic cups, and essentially is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy sees his standing damaged whereas those individuals who hired him continue to make errors indefinitely.

A Neoliberal Game: Accountability for the Few

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents neoliberalism in action: the elevation of a gilded overclass who are infallible, whose choices remain sacrosanct, whose errors can invariably be sacked away without justification. Hire the 3-4-3 coach only to dismiss him for using excessively that system. Hire the project manager and then discard them for requiring too long. And above all show gratitude; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for the latest summer signings, for the fact that the adults – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.