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Itranspired he endured losing against lower-league opposition. Survive losing a crucial continental showpiece against one of the worst Tottenham teams in living memory. He withstood home defeats to West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, an unwavering system, squandering the team's best academy products, the 32% win rate, labeling his team the poorest the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed one adversary with whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to dance. If you challenge the sporting director, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, similar to numerous Premiership defender in Blackburn’s title-winning 1994-95 season, Amorim took on Jason Wilcox and appears to have missed. The most casual observer can see the irony here: a coach who often railed his squad for failing in individual battles succumbing when confronted by the white heat and formidable presence of one of England's top division's most feared sporting directors.

In truth, this whole bruising episode seems to paint the director in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been easy, based on his brief stint in a similar role with the Saints, to view him as merely a functionary in the United exoskeleton: a man whose appointment was due largely to his friendship with his former boss a fellow executive rather than any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. By masterfully outsmarting United’s feted head coach, just as he bested the unfortunate Dan Ashworth before him, he has proved himself to be among the sport’s true generals: a tactical intellect of which United’s mid-table rivals will now be rightly wary.

The Tactical Conflict Regarding System & Ideology

To illustrate, this was the director who having been part of the leadership that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach in the first place, was instrumental in trying to persuade Amorim to abandon his beloved formation. Naturally, these pleas met a certain resistance. However, these judgements hold greater authority when issued by a man with the unimpeachable football pedigree he possesses, holder of international appearances and a role in a championship team decades past.

Perhaps in time he may be persuaded to outline his thought processes to the rest of us. Maybe one day questions may arise regarding why the coach is walking away with full compensation, without any penalty clause in place. But Jason Wilcox speaks rarely publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as him – function on a plane beyond our own mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, probably we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and four-dimensional whirring. Wanting is not equivalent to being prepared to receive.

An Ultimate Power In the Throne

Naturally, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we are obscuring the true genius behind the modern United throne. Jason Wilcox is, after all, merely executing the commands of his ultimate line manager Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who privately has emphasized his desire for a four-man defense. It is reported, the owner has also suggested deploying the forward as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for the club to embrace data science and metrics. Per reports, in an executive meeting soon after his investment, he declared that United’s style of play “will be decided in this room”.

After all, Ratcliffe is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his background in petrochemicals and sailing. Above all he is incredibly rich, and it is known, the rich are superior: more insightful, sagacious, strategically brilliant, fundamentally superior. Who else would you trust to oversee an enlightened programme of austerity, the construction of a modern arena that appears similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of a new striker?

The Modern Football Order: Executives Over Managers

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels football. Historically, teams mistakenly entrusted big footballing decisions to low-level employees such as coaches, scouts – players themselves. Maybe previously feasible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with a philosophy 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? Far preferable to place genuine authority where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with impressive professional resumes. Better by far to determine the tactics in the boardroom and appoint a coach who can tailor their methods accordingly. If managers were formerly chefs, they have become more like delivery personnel: not really responsible for the food, but still ultimately answerable should it be delivered cold or leaks out of the box.

In the meantime, a coach's role has become not about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the receptionist of the operation, the public face for a club they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca leads a team of literal children into the Champions League and wins two medium-sized trophies, and essentially gets sacked for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy sees his reputation ruined whereas the people who hired him live to blunder another day.

The Neoliberal Game: Accountability for the Coaches

And perhaps in a small way this is simply neoliberalism at work: the elevation of a privileged overclass who are infallible, whose decisions remain untouchable, whose errors can always be resolved by sacking without justification. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach only to fire them for playing too much that system. Bring in the process guy and later discard him for requiring too long. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest season ticket price rises, for your new player acquisitions, for the reality that the grownups – however well qualified – remain in control.