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Turns out he could survive a loss to Grimsby. He weathered losing a crucial continental showpiece versus one of the worst Tottenham teams in living memory. He could survive home defeats against domestic rivals, a lowly league position, his rigid approach, squandering some of the club’s best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling the squad the poorest the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed a single opponent against whom the Portuguese coach was not permitted to dance. If you challenge the sporting director, and you best not miss.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous top-flight defender during Blackburn Rovers' championship campaign, the coach came at Jason Wilcox and appears to have failed. The most casual observer will notice the irony here: a manager who often railed his squad for losing one-on-one duels crumbling when confronted by the intense pressure and formidable presence of a the Premier League’s most intimidating sporting directors.

And frankly, this whole painful saga seems to paint the director in a whole new light. 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 Omar Berrada rather than any verifiable talent. How wrong we all were. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated manager, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless a previous executive before him, Jason Wilcox has demonstrated to be among football's true generals: a tactical intellect that the club's competitors are now rightly wary.

The Tactical Clash Regarding Formation & Philosophy

To illustrate, this was the director who having been part of the leadership that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim in the first place, was instrumental in attempting to convince him to abandon his favored formation. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties met a certain resistance. However, these judgements carry more weight when delivered by a man of a man the unimpeachable football pedigree he possesses, a veteran of three England caps and a contributor to a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he might agree to outline his reasoning publicly. Maybe one day he might be asked why Amorim is walking away with a full payout, with no penalty clause in place. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The true intellectuals in football – individuals such as him – function on a plane beyond our own prosaic understanding. Were he to speak, probably we would perceive would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Wanting is not quite equivalent to being ready to comprehend it.

The Supreme Authority In the Throne

But of course, in training our focus on the sporting director we are obscuring the real power behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, merely executing the directives of his superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has emphasized his preference for a four-man defense. It is reported, the owner has also suggested deploying the forward as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to embrace data science and metrics. Per reports, during a leadership summit soon after his minority ownership, he declared that the team's approach to football “will be decided by this group”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is an expert in this technical football matters, leveraging his background in industry and yachting. Above all he is incredibly rich, and it is known, the wealthy are superior: more insightful, more wise, more tactically astute, simply superior. Whom else would you trust to manage an enlightened programme of austerity, the construction of a modern arena that appears similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of a new striker?

A Modern Soccer Hierarchy: Directors Above Managers

This is a trend that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels of the game. Historically, clubs foolishly delegated big footballing decisions to low-level employees such as coaches, talent spotters – players themselves. Maybe previously feasible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with a philosophy and drive to join an organization and implement their plan supported to fruition. But how many companies have these guys established? What number of large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Far preferable to place the real power where it belongs: the executive class, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with the jaw-dropping LinkedIn profiles. Better by far to determine the tactics by the directors and hire a coach who can tailor their methods to suit. If coaches were formerly chefs, they are now more like Deliveroo drivers: not responsible for the product, yet ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or fails to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly not about defining the vision and more about selling it: the receptionist of the operation, the public face of an organisation they have minimal power to influence. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of very young players into the Champions League and secures two medium-sized trophies, and effectively is dismissed for talking. Wilfried Nancy finds his reputation ruined while those individuals who appointed him live to blunder another day.

The Neoliberal Game: Accountability for the Few

And possibly on some microcosmic level this represents corporate governance in action: the elevation of a gilded overclass who are infallible, whose choices remain untouchable, whose errors can invariably be sacked away without justification. Appoint the system coach and then fire them for playing excessively 3-4-3. Bring in the process guy and then bin them for taking excessive time. And most importantly show gratitude; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for the latest summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – however well qualified – are in charge.