The Coach's Fatal Mistake? Taking On Wilcox and an Infallible Executive Class

Tbecame clear Ruben Amorim endured a loss to Grimsby. Survive losing a crucial continental showpiece against a particularly poor Spurs sides in living memory. He withstood home defeats against West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, squandering the team's most promising homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling his team the poorest the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to engage. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

In truth, this whole bruising episode seems to paint the director in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been tempting, based on his nine months in a similar role at Southampton, to view him as little more than a functionary within the club's structure: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with ex-colleague a fellow executive rather than any demonstrable skill. How mistaken we all were. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate Dan Ashworth earlier, he has proved himself to be among the sport’s true generals: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals will now be justifiably concerned.

A Tactical Conflict Regarding Formation & Philosophy

To illustrate, it was the director who having been part of the hierarchy that appointed the 3-4-3 fundamentalist Amorim originally, was instrumental in attempting to convince him to ditch his favored 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties met a certain resistance. But perhaps such directives carry more weight when issued from the mouth of a man the unimpeachable soccer background he possesses, holder of three England caps and a contributor to a title-winning side decades past.

Maybe eventually he may be persuaded to explain his reasoning publicly. Maybe one day he might be asked regarding why the coach is walking away with a full payout, with no compensation reduction clause in place. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks in public, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as Jason Wilcox – function at a level beyond our own mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, probably we would perceive would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Wanting is not quite equivalent to being prepared to comprehend it.

The Supreme Authority In the Throne

Naturally, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we are obscuring the real power behind the modern United throne. The director is, in reality, merely executing the commands of his ultimate superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who privately has emphasized his desire for a back four. According to reports, the owner has also suggested deploying the forward as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for United to embrace data science and analytics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting soon after his investment, he announced that United’s style to football “will be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is a specialist in these intricate football matters, drawing from his previous experience in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he remains incredibly rich, and as we all know, the wealthy are superior: more perceptive, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply better. Whom else would you trust to oversee a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that appears a lot like someone’s leftover knitting, the signing of Benjamin Sesko?

A New Football Hierarchy: Executives Above Managers

This is a trend that is becoming prevalent in top-tier of the game. For decades, teams mistakenly delegated big footballing decisions to subordinate staff such as coaches, talent spotters – players themselves. Maybe previously possible for a young, innovative manager with ideas and energy to go into an organization and implement their plan supported to fruition. But how many companies have these guys established? What number of mass redundancies have they managed? Better by far to place genuine authority where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. It is wiser to decide the tactics in the boardroom and appoint a coach who can tailor their offering accordingly. If coaches were formerly chefs, they have become more akin to delivery personnel: not responsible for the food, but still ultimately answerable if it arrives poorly or fails to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job has become less about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the receptionist of the operation, the visible figurehead for a club they have minimal power to change. Enzo Maresca leads a team of literal children into Europe and wins domestic cups, and effectively gets sacked for speaking out. A manager at Celtic finds his reputation ruined whereas those individuals who hired him continue to make errors another day.

A Modern Corporate Game: Responsibility Only for the Few

And possibly in a small way this is simply neoliberalism in action: the rise of a gilded elite who can never be wrong, whose choices are always untouchable, whose errors can always be sacked away without explanation. Hire the system coach and then fire him for using excessively 3-4-3. Bring in the project manager and then bin him for taking excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for the latest summer signings, for the fact that the adults – however well qualified – remain in control.