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Iturns out Ruben Amorim could survive losing against Grimsby. He weathered a decisive European final against one of the worst Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive 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, a poor winning percentage, labeling his team the worst in Manchester United history. But there was a single opponent with whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to tango. You come at the sporting director, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, similar to numerous Premiership defender in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, the coach took on the executive and seems to have failed. Even the most casual observer can see the paradoxical situation: a manager who often railed at his players for failing in one-on-one duels crumbling in the face of the intense pressure and formidable presence of one of the Premier League’s most intimidating sporting directors.

And frankly, this whole painful saga seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been easy, based on his brief stint of experience with the Saints, to view him as merely a drudge in the United exoskeleton: a man whose appointment was due largely to his friendship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada rather than any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, just as he bested the unfortunate a previous executive earlier, Jason Wilcox has proved himself to be among football's strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect of which United’s competitors are now justifiably concerned.

The Strategic Conflict Over Formation and Philosophy

To illustrate, it was Jason Wilcox , after being involved in the hierarchy that appointed the 3-4-3 fundamentalist Amorim originally, played a key role in attempting to convince Amorim to ditch his favored formation. Unsurprisingly, these pleas were resisted. However, such directives carry more weight when delivered from the mouth with the impeccable football pedigree he possesses, holder of international appearances and a role in a title-winning side decades past.

Maybe eventually Jason Wilcox might agree to outline his reasoning publicly. Maybe one day he might be asked regarding why the coach is walking away with a full payout, without any penalty clause activated. The director speaks rarely publicly, for excellent reasons. The true intellectuals of this sport – individuals such as him – simply operate at a level exceeding our prosaic understanding. Were he to speak, probably we would perceive is a series of ultrasonic blips and four-dimensional whirring. Wanting is not equivalent to being ready to comprehend it.

The Supreme Authority Behind Command

Naturally, in training our focus on Jason Wilcox we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. The director is, in reality, simply carrying out the commands of his ultimate superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has made very clear his desire for a back four. It is reported, the owner has also proposed deploying the forward as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to embrace analytics and metrics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit early in his investment, he declared that United’s style of play “will be decided in this room”.

After all, Sir Jim is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, leveraging his background in industry and sailing. Most importantly he remains incredibly rich, and as we all know, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, sagacious, strategically brilliant, fundamentally superior. Whom else would you trust to manage an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that looks similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of a new striker?

The Modern Football Order: Executives Above Coaches

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels football. Historically, clubs foolishly delegated big footballing decisions to low-level employees such as coaches, talent spotters – even footballers. Perhaps it was once feasible for a young, visionary coach with ideas and drive to join an organization and see their vision through to completion. But how many companies have these guys established? How many mass redundancies have they overseen? Far preferable to place genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive LinkedIn profiles. Better by far to determine the strategy by the directors and hire someone who can tailor their offering to suit. If coaches were formerly chefs, they have become more like Deliveroo drivers: not really creating the product, yet finally accountable if it arrives poorly or fails of the box.

In the meantime, their job has become less about defining the vision and more about selling it: the front-facing representative of the operation, the public face for a club they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of literal children into Europe and secures two medium-sized trophies, and effectively is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy finds his reputation ruined whereas the people who appointed him continue to make errors another day.

A Neoliberal Game: Responsibility Only for the Coaches

And possibly on some microcosmic level this is simply corporate governance in action: the rise of a gilded elite who can never be wrong, whose decisions remain sacrosanct, whose mistakes can invariably be resolved by sacking without justification. Hire the 3-4-3 coach only to dismiss him for playing excessively that system. Bring in the process guy and later bin them for requiring too long. And most importantly show gratitude; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for your new summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – however well qualified – are in charge.