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Itranspired he could survive a loss to lower-league opposition. He weathered an important continental showpiece versus a particularly poor Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive losing at home to domestic rivals, a lowly league position, his rigid approach, laying waste to some of the club’s best academy products, a poor winning percentage, labeling the squad the poorest the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom the Portuguese coach was not permitted to dance. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Regrettably, like many a Premiership defender in Blackburn’s title-winning 1994-95 season, the coach took on the executive and seems to have missed. The most distracted of readers can see the paradoxical situation: a coach who frequently berated at his players for failing in one-on-one duels succumbing in the face of the white heat and formidable presence of one of the Premier League’s most intimidating football executives.

In truth, this whole bruising episode seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been tempting, given his nine months in a similar role at Southampton, to regard him as little more than a drudge within the club's structure: a man whose appointment was due as much to his close relationship with his former boss a fellow executive as any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. In brilliantly outsmarting United’s feted head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate a previous executive earlier, he has proved himself as one of football's strategic masterminds: a strategic mind that United’s competitors will now be justifiably concerned.

The Strategic Clash Regarding System & Ideology

For example, this was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the leadership that appointed the 3-4-3 fundamentalist Amorim in the first place, played a key role in attempting to convince him to ditch his favored 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties were resisted. However, these judgements carry more weight when delivered by a man of a man the unimpeachable soccer background he possesses, a veteran of international appearances and a contributor to a championship team from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time Jason Wilcox might agree to explain his thought processes publicly. Perhaps at some point questions may arise regarding why the coach is departing with a full payout, with no compensation reduction clause activated. The director seldom speaks publicly, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers in football – individuals such as him – simply operate at a level exceeding our mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, probably all we would hear would be ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not quite the same as being prepared to comprehend it.

An Ultimate Power In the Throne

But of course, in training our focus on the sporting director we are obscuring the real power behind the modern United throne. The director is, in reality, merely executing the directives of his ultimate line manager the billionaire owner, who privately has emphasized his desire for a back four. According to reports, the owner has also suggested deploying the forward in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for United to embrace data science and metrics. Per reports, in an executive meeting soon after his investment, he announced that United’s style to football “will be determined by this group”.

After all, Sir Jim is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his background in petrochemicals and sailing. Most importantly he is immensely wealthy, and it is known, the wealthy are superior: more insightful, more wise, more tactically astute, fundamentally better. Who else would you trust to manage an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that looks similar to an abstract design, the signing of a new striker?

The Modern Football Hierarchy: Executives Above Managers

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels football. For decades, clubs foolishly entrusted big footballing decisions to low-level employees like managers, talent spotters – players themselves. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, visionary coach with ideas and energy to join an organization and see their vision supported to fruition. Yet how many businesses have such individuals set up? What number of large-scale layoffs have they managed? Far preferable to invest genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the executive class, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with impressive LinkedIn profiles. Better by far to determine the tactics in the boardroom and appoint someone who will adapt their methods accordingly. If coaches were formerly chefs, they have become more akin to delivery personnel: not really creating the product, but still ultimately answerable if it arrives poorly or leaks out of the box.

In the meantime, a coach's role is increasingly less about defining the vision and more about selling it: the receptionist on the front desk, the public face for a club they can do little to influence. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of literal children into Europe and wins domestic cups, and effectively gets sacked for talking. Wilfried Nancy finds his reputation ruined while the people who appointed him continue to make errors another day.

A Modern Corporate Game: Responsibility for the Coaches

And possibly on some microcosmic level this represents corporate governance at work: the rise of a privileged overclass who are infallible, whose decisions remain sacrosanct, whose mistakes can invariably be sacked away without justification. Hire the system coach only to dismiss them for using excessively that system. Bring in the process guy and then bin him for requiring excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest season ticket price rises, for your new player acquisitions, for the fact that the adults – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.