Amorim's Fatal Error? Taking On The Executives and an Infallible Executive Tier

Iturns out the manager could survive defeat by Grimsby. He weathered losing a crucial European final against a particularly poor Spurs sides for many years. He withstood home defeats to West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, his rigid approach, squandering some of the club’s best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling his team the poorest the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed one adversary with whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to engage. If you challenge the sporting director, and you best not miss.

And frankly, this whole painful saga seems to paint the director in a different perspective. It may have been easy, based on his nine months of experience at Southampton, to view Jason Wilcox as merely a drudge within the club's structure: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his friendship with his former boss Omar Berrada as any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. In brilliantly outsmarting the club's celebrated head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate Dan Ashworth before him, he has demonstrated to be among football's strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals are now justifiably concerned.

The Strategic Conflict Over System & Philosophy

For example, it was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the hierarchy that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist the coach originally, was instrumental in trying to persuade him to ditch his beloved formation. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties met a certain resistance. However, these judgements carry more weight when issued by a man with the impeccable football pedigree he possesses, holder of international appearances and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he may be persuaded to explain his thought processes publicly. Maybe one day questions may arise regarding why the coach is walking away with a full payout, with no penalty clause in place. The director seldom speaks in public, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as him – simply operate on a plane exceeding our mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, probably all we would hear is a series of high-frequency signals and four-dimensional whirring. Desiring an explanation is not quite the same as being prepared to receive.

The Ultimate Power Behind the Throne

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we are obscuring the true genius behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, after all, simply carrying out the commands of his ultimate superior the billionaire owner, who in private has emphasized his preference for a four-man defense. According to reports, the owner has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to adopt analytics and metrics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit soon after his investment, he announced that United’s style to football “will be determined in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is a specialist in this technical footballing stuff, drawing from his background in petrochemicals and yachting. Most importantly he remains incredibly rich, and it is known, the wealthy are the best of us: more insightful, sagacious, more tactically astute, simply better. Whom else would you trust to manage an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a modern arena that looks similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

The New Football Hierarchy: Directors Over Coaches

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels football. For decades, teams mistakenly entrusted big footballing decisions to subordinate staff like managers, scouts – players themselves. Maybe previously feasible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with ideas and drive to join an organization and see their vision supported to fruition. But how many companies have such individuals set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they managed? Better by far to invest the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive professional resumes. Better by far to decide the strategy in the boardroom and hire someone who will adapt their offering to suit. If coaches were once chefs, they are now more akin to delivery personnel: not responsible for the food, yet ultimately answerable if it arrives poorly or fails to meet standards.

Nowadays, their job has become less 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 influence. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into Europe and secures two medium-sized trophies, and essentially gets sacked for talking. Wilfried Nancy sees his reputation ruined while the people who hired 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 rise of a gilded overclass who are infallible, whose choices remain untouchable, whose errors can invariably be sacked away without justification. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach only to dismiss him for playing too much 3-4-3. Hire the project manager and later bin him for taking excessive time. And most importantly show gratitude; for your modest season ticket price rises, for your new player acquisitions, for the fact that the adults – however well qualified – remain in control.