The Coach's Critical Error? Taking On The Executives and the Unassailable Executive Class

Itranspired the manager could survive a loss to lower-league opposition. Survive an important European final versus a particularly poor Spurs sides for many years. He withstood losing at home to West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, undermining some of the club’s most promising homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, labeling the squad the worst in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to engage. You come at the sporting director, you had better succeed.

And frankly, this whole bruising episode seems to paint the director in a whole new light. It may have been easy, given his nine months in a similar role at Southampton, to regard him as little more than a drudge in the United exoskeleton: a man whose appointment was due as much to his friendship with ex-colleague a fellow executive rather than any verifiable talent. How wrong we all were. By masterfully outsmarting United’s feted head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless Dan Ashworth earlier, he has demonstrated to be among football's true generals: a tactical intellect of which the club's mid-table rivals will now be justifiably concerned.

A Tactical Conflict Over System & Ideology

For example, it was the director who having been part of the hierarchy that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach in the first place, was instrumental in trying to persuade him to abandon his beloved formation. Unsurprisingly, these pleas were resisted. However, these judgements hold greater authority when delivered from the mouth with the impeccable soccer background he possesses, a veteran of three England caps and a contributor to a championship team from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he might agree to outline his reasoning publicly. Maybe one day questions may arise why Amorim is departing with full compensation, with no penalty clause activated. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks in public, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as Jason Wilcox – function on a plane beyond our own prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive is a series of ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not the same as being prepared to receive.

An Supreme Power In the Throne

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we are obscuring the real power behind the modern United throne. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, merely executing the directives of his line manager Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has emphasized his desire for a back four. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also proposed deploying the forward in a wing-back role. Ratcliffe is keen for United to embrace data science and analytics. Per reports, in an executive meeting early in his investment, he declared that United’s style to football “will be decided in this room”.

After all, Sir Jim is an expert in this technical footballing stuff, leveraging his background in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he is incredibly rich, and it is known, the rich are superior: more perceptive, sagacious, strategically brilliant, fundamentally superior. Whom else could one trust to oversee an enlightened programme of austerity, the construction of a new stadium that appears similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of a new striker?

A New Football Hierarchy: Directors Above Managers

This represents a shift we are increasingly seeing in top-tier football. For decades, clubs foolishly entrusted major sporting choices to subordinate staff like managers, scouts – even footballers. Perhaps it was once feasible for a young, innovative manager with a philosophy and drive to go into an organization and implement their plan supported to fruition. But how many businesses have such individuals established? What number of large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Far preferable to place genuine authority where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with impressive LinkedIn profiles. It is wiser to determine the tactics by the directors and appoint someone who will adapt their methods to suit. If coaches were formerly chefs, they have become more like delivery personnel: not creating the food, yet finally accountable should it be delivered poorly or fails to meet standards.

Nowadays, their job is increasingly not about crafting the philosophy and more about marketing it: the receptionist of the operation, the visible figurehead of an organisation they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of very young players into Europe and secures domestic cups, and effectively gets sacked for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy finds his reputation ruined whereas those individuals who hired him continue to make errors indefinitely.

A Modern Corporate Football: Responsibility for the Coaches

And possibly on some microcosmic level this represents neoliberalism at work: the rise of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose choices are always sacrosanct, whose errors can invariably be resolved by sacking without justification. Hire the 3-4-3 coach and then dismiss him for playing too much that system. Bring in the project manager and later discard them for taking too long. And above all be grateful; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for your new summer signings, for the reality that the adults – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.