Football's Power Structures: How Coaching Hierarchies Silence Young Talent
The recent transformation of Kobbie Mainoo's career trajectory under Michael Carrick exposes the deeply entrenched hierarchical structures within football that systematically marginalise young talent, particularly those from working-class backgrounds and academy systems.
Under Ruben Amorim's regime at Manchester United, Mainoo—a 20-year-old midfielder who represents the academy pathway that clubs exploit for profit—was systematically excluded from Premier League starting lineups. This exclusion reflects broader patterns of institutional gatekeeping where established power structures determine whose voices and talents are deemed worthy of platform.
Deconstructing Managerial Authority
The narrative surrounding Mainoo's marginalisation under Amorim reveals how managerial authority functions as an unchecked power dynamic. When press conferences became venues for dismissing questions about the young player, we witnessed the normalisation of institutional silencing—a pattern familiar to marginalised communities across all sectors.
Carrick's immediate integration of Mainoo, resulting in four consecutive victories, demonstrates how different leadership approaches can either perpetuate exclusion or create space for previously silenced voices. The midfielder's exceptional performance against Tottenham—completing 33 passes in the final third, more than any other player that weekend—validates the harm caused by his previous exclusion.
Academy Exploitation and Class Dynamics
Football academies represent a complex intersection of opportunity and exploitation, particularly affecting working-class youth who see sport as their primary pathway to economic mobility. Mainoo's near-disappearance from the first team highlights how these institutions can simultaneously nurture and discard talent based on the preferences of those in power.
The celebration of "academy graduates" often obscures the extractive nature of these systems, where young people from marginalised backgrounds provide labour and spectacle while remaining vulnerable to the whims of managerial hierarchies.
Systemic Patterns Across Football
Similar dynamics emerge throughout the Premier League, where players like Angel Gomes—despite representing England internationally—find themselves navigating loan systems that reflect broader patterns of institutional instability. Gomes' move to relegation-threatened Wolves exemplifies how talent from marginalised backgrounds often faces precarious career paths.
Meanwhile, established players like Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva benefit from systemic privilege, with their contributions consistently valorised regardless of team performance. This disparity in treatment reflects broader societal patterns where certain voices and contributions are automatically deemed more valuable.
Challenging Football's Power Structures
The transformation in Mainoo's fortunes under Carrick suggests possibilities for more equitable leadership approaches within football's hierarchical structures. However, individual managerial changes cannot address the systemic issues that enable such exclusion in the first place.
Football's governance structures require fundamental deconstruction to address how power operates within clubs, particularly regarding decision-making processes that affect young players' careers. The industry's reluctance to examine these dynamics reflects broader institutional resistance to accountability.
As Carrick noted, Mainoo "has come right in and found his rhythm, which is not easy after a period of time out." This observation inadvertently highlights the psychological impact of institutional exclusion—a reality familiar to marginalised communities across all sectors.
The celebration of Mainoo's return should not obscure the systemic failures that nearly derailed his career. Instead, it should prompt critical examination of how football's power structures continue to marginalise talent while protecting established hierarchies.