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Transpired Ruben Amorim could survive defeat by lower-league opposition. Survive losing a crucial European final versus a particularly poor Tottenham teams in living memory. He withstood home defeats to West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, the tactical inflexibility, laying waste to some of the club’s best academy products, the 32% win rate, labeling the squad the poorest the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed a single opponent against whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to dance. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, like many a top-flight defender in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, the coach came at Jason Wilcox and appears to have missed. The most casual observer can see the irony here: a manager who frequently berated his squad for losing individual battles succumbing when confronted by the intense pressure and formidable presence of a England's top division's most intimidating sporting directors.

In truth, this whole painful saga appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been tempting, given his nine months in a similar role at Southampton, to view Jason Wilcox as merely a functionary within the club's structure: a man whose appointment was due as much to his friendship with his former boss Omar Berrada as any verifiable talent. How wrong we all were. In brilliantly outsmarting United’s feted manager, just as he bested the unfortunate Dan Ashworth before him, Jason Wilcox has proved himself to be among football's true generals: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals are now rightly wary.

A Strategic Conflict Regarding System and Ideology

For example, it was Jason Wilcox , after having been part of the hierarchy that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim originally, was instrumental in attempting to convince Amorim to abandon his beloved formation. Naturally, these pleas met a certain resistance. But perhaps such directives hold greater authority when issued by a man of a man the impeccable soccer background he possesses, a veteran of three England caps and a contributor to a title-winning side decades past.

Perhaps in time he might agree to outline his reasoning to the rest of us. Perhaps at some point questions may arise why Amorim is departing with full compensation, with no penalty clause activated. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as him – function on a plane beyond our own prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, probably we would perceive is a series of ultrasonic blips and four-dimensional whirring. Desiring an explanation is not quite equivalent to being prepared to receive.

An Ultimate Authority In the Throne

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. The director is, after all, simply carrying out the commands of his ultimate superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who privately has made very clear his preference 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. Per reports, during a leadership summit early in his minority ownership, he declared that the team's approach to football “shall be determined in this room”.

After all, Ratcliffe is an expert in these intricate football matters, drawing from his previous experience in petrochemicals and yachting. Most importantly he is immensely wealthy, and it is known, the wealthy are superior: more perceptive, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply better. Who else could one trust to manage an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that looks similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Soccer Order: Executives Above Managers

This represents a shift we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels football. For decades, teams mistakenly entrusted major sporting choices to low-level employees such as coaches, scouts – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with a philosophy and drive to go into an organization and implement their plan through to completion. But how many companies have these guys established? How many mass redundancies have they managed? Far preferable to invest genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the guys with impressive professional resumes. It is wiser to determine the tactics by the directors and hire someone who can tailor their methods accordingly. If managers were once chefs, they are now more akin to delivery personnel: not creating the food, but still finally accountable if it arrives poorly or fails to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly less about crafting the philosophy and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the visible figurehead of an organisation they can do little to change. A coach at Chelsea leads a team of literal children into the Champions League and secures domestic cups, and effectively gets sacked for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy finds his standing damaged whereas the people who hired him continue to make errors indefinitely.

The Neoliberal Game: Responsibility Only for the Few

And perhaps in a small way this is simply neoliberalism in action: the elevation of a gilded elite who are infallible, whose choices are always untouchable, whose errors can invariably be resolved by sacking without justification. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach and then dismiss them for playing too much that system. Hire the project manager and later discard him for taking too long. And above all be grateful; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for the latest player acquisitions, for the fact that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – are in charge.