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Turns out Ruben Amorim was able to withstand a loss to Grimsby. He weathered an important European final against one of the worst Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive losing at home against West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, undermining some of the club’s most promising homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, labeling the squad the worst the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to dance. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous top-flight defender in Blackburn’s championship 1994-95 season, the coach took on Jason Wilcox and seems to have failed. The most casual observer can see the irony here: a manager who frequently berated at his players for losing individual battles succumbing when confronted by the intense pressure and formidable presence of a the Premier League’s most intimidating sporting directors.

In truth, this whole bruising episode seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been tempting, given his brief stint in a similar role with the Saints, to view him as little more than a functionary within the club's structure: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with his former boss a fellow executive as any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless Dan Ashworth earlier, Jason Wilcox has proved himself to be among football's strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that the club's mid-table rivals will now be justifiably concerned.

A Tactical Conflict Regarding Formation and Ideology

To illustrate, this was the director who being involved in the hierarchy that appointed the 3-4-3 fundamentalist the coach originally, played a key role in trying to persuade him to ditch his beloved formation. Naturally, these entreaties met a certain resistance. But perhaps these judgements carry more weight when issued from the mouth with the impeccable soccer background of Jason Wilcox, holder of international appearances and a contributor to a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he may be persuaded to explain his thought processes to the rest of us. Maybe one day he might be asked why Amorim is departing with a full payout, with no penalty clause in place. The director speaks rarely in public, for excellent reasons. The true intellectuals in football – men like him – simply operate on a plane exceeding our prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not quite equivalent to being ready to comprehend it.

The Supreme Power In Command

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, after all, merely executing the commands of his ultimate line manager the billionaire owner, who in private has made very clear his desire for a back four. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to embrace analytics and analytics. Per reports, during a leadership summit early in his minority ownership, he announced that the team's approach of play “will be determined by this group”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is a specialist in these intricate footballing stuff, leveraging his background in industry and sailing. Above all he remains immensely wealthy, and as we all know, the wealthy are superior: more perceptive, more wise, strategically brilliant, simply better. Whom else would you trust to manage a strategic plan of austerity, the building of a new stadium that appears similar to an abstract design, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

The New Football Hierarchy: Executives Above Coaches

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing in top-tier of the game. Historically, clubs foolishly entrusted big footballing decisions to low-level employees such as coaches, talent spotters – players themselves. Perhaps it was once possible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with a philosophy and energy to join an organization and see their vision through to completion. But how many businesses have such individuals established? What number of mass redundancies have they overseen? Far preferable to invest genuine authority where it belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the guys with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. It is wiser to decide the tactics by the directors and hire someone who will adapt their offering accordingly. If coaches were once chefs, they are now more akin to delivery personnel: not really creating the food, yet finally accountable if it arrives cold or leaks out of the box.

In the meantime, 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 influence. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of very young players into Europe and secures domestic cups, and essentially gets sacked for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy finds his standing damaged whereas the people who hired him continue to make errors another day.

The Modern Corporate Game: Accountability Only for the Coaches

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this is simply neoliberalism in action: the rise of a gilded elite who are infallible, whose choices remain sacrosanct, whose mistakes can always be resolved by sacking without explanation. Hire the 3-4-3 coach only to fire them for playing too much that system. Bring in the project manager and later bin them for taking excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for the latest summer signings, for the fact that the adults – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.