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Iturns out the manager endured a loss to lower-league opposition. He weathered a decisive European final versus one of the worst Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive losing at home against domestic rivals, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, squandering the team's best homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, calling the squad the worst in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to tango. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, like many a Premiership defender in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, Amorim took on the executive and seems to have failed. The most distracted of readers will notice the paradoxical situation: a manager who often railed at his players for losing one-on-one duels succumbing in the face of the intense pressure and formidable presence of one of the Premier League’s most feared sporting directors.

In truth, this entire bruising episode appears to portray the director in a whole new light. Perhaps it might have been easy, given his nine months of experience at Southampton, to view Jason Wilcox as little more than a functionary within the club's structure: a man who owed his position largely to his friendship with his former boss a fellow executive as any demonstrable skill. How mistaken everyone was. In brilliantly outsmarting United’s feted manager, just as he bested the unfortunate Dan Ashworth earlier, Jason Wilcox has demonstrated to be among the sport’s strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect of which United’s competitors are now rightly wary.

The Strategic Clash Over Formation and Ideology

To illustrate, it was Jason Wilcox who being involved in the leadership that appointed the 3-4-3 fundamentalist the coach originally, was instrumental in trying to persuade Amorim to abandon his beloved 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties met a certain resistance. But perhaps such directives hold greater authority when issued from the mouth of a man the unimpeachable football pedigree he possesses, a veteran of international appearances and a contributor to a championship team decades past.

Perhaps in time he might agree to outline his reasoning publicly. Perhaps at some point questions may arise why Amorim is departing with a full payout, without any compensation reduction clause in place. The director speaks rarely publicly, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as him – simply operate on a plane beyond our own prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, probably we would perceive would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Wanting is not equivalent to being ready to receive.

The Supreme Authority In the Throne

Naturally, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the modern United throne. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, merely executing the directives of his line manager the billionaire owner, who privately has emphasized his preference for a four-man defense. According to reports, Ratcliffe has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for United to embrace data science and metrics. Per reports, in an executive meeting soon after his investment, he announced that United’s style of play “will be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is a specialist in these intricate football matters, leveraging his background in industry and yachting. Above all he remains incredibly rich, and it is known, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply superior. Who else would you trust to oversee a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that appears a lot like an abstract design, the signing of a new striker?

A New Football Hierarchy: Executives Above Coaches

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels football. Historically, clubs foolishly entrusted big footballing decisions to low-level employees such as coaches, scouts – even footballers. Maybe previously possible for a young, visionary coach with ideas and drive to join an organization and see their vision through to completion. But how many businesses have such individuals set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they managed? Better by far to invest the real power where it rightly belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to determine the tactics by the directors and hire a coach who can tailor their offering to suit. If managers were formerly chefs, they have become more akin to delivery personnel: not responsible for the product, but still finally accountable should it be delivered cold or leaks out to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly not 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 change. A coach at Chelsea takes a squad of literal children into the Champions League and wins domestic cups, and effectively gets sacked for talking. Wilfried Nancy sees his standing damaged whereas those individuals who appointed him continue to make errors indefinitely.

A Neoliberal Football: Accountability for the Few

And perhaps in a small way this represents neoliberalism in action: the elevation of a gilded overclass who can never be wrong, whose decisions are always untouchable, whose errors can always be sacked away without explanation. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach and then fire him for using excessively 3-4-3. Hire the process guy and then bin them for requiring excessive time. And most importantly show gratitude; for your modest season ticket price rises, for the latest summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – however well qualified – are in charge.