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Itranspired the manager endured defeat by Grimsby. He weathered an important continental showpiece versus one of the worst Spurs sides for many years. He could survive losing at home to domestic rivals, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, laying waste to some of the club’s best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling the squad the poorest in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed one adversary with whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to tango. If you challenge the sporting director, you had better succeed.

Regrettably, similar to numerous Premiership right-back in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, Amorim came at the executive and seems to have failed. The most distracted of readers can see the paradoxical situation: a manager who often railed his squad for losing one-on-one duels succumbing in the face of the white heat and formidable presence of one of England's top division's most feared football executives.

In truth, this entire painful saga appears to portray the director in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been easy, based on his brief stint of experience with the Saints, to regard him as little more than a drudge in the United exoskeleton: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada rather than any demonstrable skill. How mistaken everyone was. In brilliantly outsmarting United’s feted head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless a previous executive before him, he has proved himself to be among the sport’s true generals: a strategic mind of which United’s mid-table rivals are now rightly wary.

The Strategic Conflict Over Formation and Ideology

For example, this was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the leadership that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim originally, was instrumental in attempting to convince Amorim to abandon his beloved formation. Unsurprisingly, these pleas met a certain resistance. However, such directives carry more weight when issued from the mouth of a man the unimpeachable football pedigree of Jason Wilcox, a veteran of international appearances and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually he may be persuaded to explain his thought processes publicly. Maybe one day questions may arise why Amorim is walking away with full compensation, with no compensation reduction clause in place. But Jason Wilcox speaks rarely publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – individuals such as him – simply operate at a level beyond our own prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive is a series of ultrasonic blips and four-dimensional whirring. Wanting is not equivalent to being prepared to comprehend it.

The Ultimate Authority Behind the Throne

Naturally, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. The director is, after all, merely executing the commands of his ultimate superior the billionaire owner, who privately has made very clear his desire for a four-man defense. According to reports, Ratcliffe has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. Ratcliffe is keen for United to adopt data science and analytics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit early in his minority ownership, he announced that United’s style of play “will be decided by this group”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in industry and sailing. Above all he remains immensely wealthy, and it is known, the rich are superior: more perceptive, more wise, more tactically astute, simply better. Who else would you trust to oversee a strategic plan of austerity, the building of a new stadium that looks similar to an abstract design, the signing of a new striker?

A New Soccer Order: Executives Above Managers

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent in top-tier football. For decades, clubs foolishly entrusted big footballing decisions to low-level employees such as coaches, talent spotters – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, visionary coach with ideas and energy to go into an organization and see their vision supported to fruition. But how many companies have these guys set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they managed? Better by far to place the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to determine the tactics by the directors and hire a coach who will adapt their methods accordingly. If coaches were formerly chefs, they have become more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not creating the food, yet finally accountable if it arrives poorly or fails to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job has become less about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the public face for a club they can do little to influence. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of literal children into the Champions League and wins domestic cups, and effectively is dismissed for speaking out. A manager at Celtic sees his reputation ruined whereas those individuals who appointed him continue to make errors indefinitely.

The Modern Corporate Football: Responsibility for the Coaches

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents neoliberalism at work: the elevation of a privileged overclass who are infallible, whose decisions are always sacrosanct, whose errors can always be resolved by sacking without justification. Hire the system coach and then fire him for playing too much that system. Bring in the process guy and then discard him for requiring too long. And most importantly show gratitude; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for the latest player acquisitions, for the fact that the adults – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.