The Coach's Critical Mistake? Taking On The Executives and the Unassailable Leadership Tier

Iturns out Ruben Amorim was able to withstand defeat by Grimsby. Survive a decisive European final versus a particularly poor Tottenham teams for many years. He could survive losing at home to domestic rivals, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, undermining the team's most promising academy products, the 32% win rate, labeling his team the worst the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to tango. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

And frankly, this entire bruising episode appears to portray the director in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been easy, given his brief stint in a similar role with the Saints, to regard him as little more than a drudge within the club's structure: a man whose appointment was due as much to his close relationship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada rather than any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate a previous executive before him, Jason Wilcox has demonstrated as one of football's true generals: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals will now be rightly wary.

A Tactical Clash Regarding System & Ideology

For example, it was Jason Wilcox 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 formation. Unsurprisingly, these pleas met a certain resistance. However, these judgements carry more weight when delivered by a man with the impeccable football pedigree he possesses, holder of three England caps and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time Jason Wilcox might agree to outline his thought processes publicly. Perhaps at some point he might be asked regarding why the coach is walking away with full compensation, with no penalty clause activated. The director speaks rarely in public, and with very good reason. The true intellectuals of this sport – individuals such as Jason Wilcox – simply operate at a level beyond our own mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, most likely all we would hear would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Wanting is not quite the same as being prepared to comprehend it.

The Ultimate Authority In the Throne

But of course, in training our focus 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 ultimate line manager Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who privately has made very clear his preference for a back four. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also suggested deploying the forward in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for United to embrace analytics and metrics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit soon after his investment, he declared that the team's approach of play “shall be determined in this room”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is an expert in this technical footballing stuff, leveraging his previous experience in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he remains incredibly rich, and as we all know, the wealthy are superior: more insightful, more wise, more tactically astute, simply better. Who else would you trust to oversee an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that appears similar to an abstract design, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

The New Soccer Hierarchy: Directors Over Coaches

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels of the game. Historically, clubs foolishly delegated major sporting choices to subordinate staff like managers, talent spotters – players themselves. Perhaps it was once possible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with ideas and drive to go into a club and see their vision supported to fruition. But how many businesses have such individuals established? What number of large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Better by far to invest genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the executive class, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with the jaw-dropping LinkedIn profiles. It is wiser to determine the tactics by the directors and appoint a coach who will adapt their methods accordingly. If managers were once chefs, they have become more like Deliveroo drivers: not really responsible for the product, but still finally accountable if it arrives poorly or fails of the box.

In the meantime, a coach's role is increasingly less about defining the vision and more about selling it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the visible figurehead of an organisation they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of very young players into the Champions League and wins two medium-sized trophies, and essentially is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy finds his standing damaged whereas those individuals who appointed him continue to make errors another day.

A Neoliberal Football: Accountability for the Coaches

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents corporate governance in action: the elevation of a privileged overclass who are infallible, whose decisions remain untouchable, whose errors can always be resolved by sacking without justification. Hire the system coach only to dismiss him for playing too much 3-4-3. Bring in the process guy and later bin him for requiring excessive time. And above all show gratitude; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for your new summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – however well qualified – are in charge.