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Tbecame clear Ruben Amorim could survive defeat by Grimsby. He weathered a decisive continental showpiece against one of the worst Tottenham teams for many years. He could survive home defeats to domestic rivals, a lowly league position, his rigid approach, squandering the team's most promising academy products, the 32% win rate, labeling his team the worst in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to dance. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Regrettably, similar to numerous Premiership right-back during Blackburn Rovers' championship campaign, the coach came at Jason Wilcox and seems to have missed. The most casual observer can see the irony here: a manager who frequently berated at his players for losing one-on-one duels crumbling in the face of the intense pressure and formidable presence of one of the Premier League’s most intimidating football executives.

In truth, this entire bruising episode appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a whole new light. Perhaps it might have been tempting, based on his brief stint of experience at Southampton, to view him as little more than a functionary in the United exoskeleton: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada rather than any verifiable talent. How wrong everyone was. In brilliantly outsmarting United’s feted manager, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless Dan Ashworth earlier, he has proved himself to be among football's strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals will now be justifiably concerned.

A Tactical Conflict Over Formation and Philosophy

For example, this was the director who having been part of the hierarchy that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim in the first place, was instrumental in trying to persuade him to ditch his beloved 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties met a certain resistance. But perhaps these judgements hold greater authority when delivered by a man of a man the impeccable football pedigree he possesses, holder of three England caps and a contributor to a title-winning side decades past.

Perhaps in time he may be persuaded to outline his thought processes to the rest of us. Perhaps at some point questions may arise why Amorim is walking away with a full payout, with no penalty clause activated. The director seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – individuals such as Jason Wilcox – function on a plane beyond our own mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, probably we would perceive is a series of high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not quite the same as being prepared to receive.

An Supreme Power Behind the Throne

Naturally, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we are obscuring the real power behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, merely executing the commands of his superior the billionaire owner, who privately has emphasized his desire for a back four. It is reported, the owner has also proposed deploying the forward as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for United to embrace data science and analytics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit soon after his investment, he declared that United’s style to football “will be determined in this room”.

After all, Ratcliffe is a specialist in these intricate footballing stuff, leveraging his previous experience in petrochemicals and sailing. Above all he remains immensely wealthy, and it is known, the wealthy are superior: more perceptive, more wise, more tactically astute, simply superior. Whom else could one trust to oversee an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that appears similar to an abstract design, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

The Modern Football Order: Directors Over Managers

This represents a shift we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels of the game. Historically, teams mistakenly delegated major sporting choices to subordinate staff like managers, talent spotters – players themselves. Perhaps it was once feasible for a young, visionary coach with ideas and energy to go into an organization and see their vision through to completion. Yet how many companies have these guys set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they managed? Better by far to place genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive LinkedIn profiles. Better by far to determine the tactics by the directors and appoint a coach who will adapt their methods to suit. If coaches were formerly chefs, they are now more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not really creating the product, yet ultimately answerable if it arrives poorly or fails of the box.

Nowadays, a coach's role is increasingly less about crafting the philosophy and more about selling it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the public face for a club 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 gets sacked for talking. A manager at Celtic finds his reputation ruined whereas the people who hired him continue to make errors another day.

A Neoliberal Football: Responsibility for the Few

And possibly in a small way this is simply neoliberalism at work: the elevation of a gilded overclass who are infallible, whose choices remain untouchable, whose errors can invariably be resolved by sacking without explanation. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach and then fire them for using excessively 3-4-3. Hire the process guy and then bin them for requiring excessive time. And above all show gratitude; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for your new player acquisitions, for the reality that the adults – however well qualified – remain in control.