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Transpired Ruben Amorim was able to withstand losing against lower-league opposition. He weathered losing a crucial continental showpiece against a particularly poor Tottenham teams for many years. He withstood home defeats against West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, undermining the team's most promising homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, labeling the squad the worst in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to tango. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, like many a Premiership defender in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, the coach came at Jason Wilcox and appears to have missed. The most casual observer can see the paradoxical situation: a manager who often railed at his players for losing individual battles crumbling when confronted by the intense pressure and animal charisma of one of England's top division's most intimidating sporting directors.

And frankly, this entire 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 view Jason Wilcox as little more than a functionary in the United exoskeleton: an individual whose appointment was due as much to his close relationship with ex-colleague a fellow executive as any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated manager, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless Dan Ashworth before him, he has proved himself as one of football's strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that the club's competitors will now be rightly wary.

A Tactical Conflict Over System and Ideology

To illustrate, this was Jason Wilcox who being involved in the hierarchy that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach originally, played a key role in trying to persuade Amorim to ditch his beloved 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these pleas faced pushback. However, these judgements hold greater authority when issued from the mouth of a man the impeccable soccer background of Jason Wilcox, a veteran of international appearances and a role in a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he might agree to explain his thought processes to the rest of us. Maybe one day questions may arise why Amorim is departing with a full payout, without any penalty clause in place. The director seldom speaks in public, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as him – simply operate at a level exceeding our mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, most likely we would perceive would be high-frequency signals and four-dimensional whirring. Desiring an explanation is not the same as being prepared to comprehend it.

An Ultimate Power Behind Command

Naturally, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we are obscuring the real power behind the modern United throne. The director is, after all, simply carrying out the commands of his ultimate line manager the billionaire owner, who privately has made very clear his desire for a back four. According to reports, Ratcliffe has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for United to embrace data science and analytics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting early in his investment, he declared that the team's approach of play “shall be decided by this group”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is an expert in this technical footballing stuff, leveraging his background in industry and yachting. Most importantly he remains immensely wealthy, and it is known, the wealthy are the best of us: more perceptive, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply superior. Whom else could one trust to oversee a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the building of a modern arena that looks similar to an abstract design, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Soccer Hierarchy: Executives Above Coaches

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels of the game. For decades, teams mistakenly delegated big footballing decisions to subordinate staff like managers, talent spotters – players themselves. Maybe previously possible for a young, visionary coach with ideas and energy to join an organization and see their vision through to completion. But how many businesses have these guys set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they managed? Better by far to place genuine authority where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with impressive professional resumes. It is wiser to decide the strategy in the boardroom and hire someone who will adapt their offering accordingly. If coaches were formerly chefs, they have become more like delivery personnel: not really creating the food, but still ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or fails to meet standards.

In the meantime, a coach's role is increasingly less about crafting the philosophy and more about marketing it: the receptionist of the operation, the visible figurehead of an organisation they have minimal power to influence. A coach at Chelsea leads a team of very young players into the Champions League and wins domestic cups, and effectively is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy finds his reputation ruined whereas those individuals who appointed him continue to make errors another day.

A Neoliberal Game: Responsibility Only for the Coaches

And perhaps in a small way this represents corporate governance in action: the elevation of a gilded overclass who are infallible, whose choices remain untouchable, whose mistakes can always be resolved by sacking without explanation. Appoint the system coach only to dismiss him for playing excessively 3-4-3. Bring in the project manager and then discard them for requiring too long. And above all be grateful; for your modest season ticket price rises, for your new player acquisitions, for the fact that the adults – regardless of their expertise – are in charge.