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Turns out Ruben Amorim was able to withstand defeat by Grimsby. He weathered a decisive continental showpiece versus a particularly poor Spurs sides in living memory. He withstood losing at home to West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, squandering the team's most promising homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling his team the worst the club has ever seen. But there was one adversary with whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to engage. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous top-flight right-back in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, Amorim came at Jason Wilcox and appears to have failed. The most distracted of readers will notice the irony here: a coach who often railed at his players for failing in individual battles crumbling in the face of the intense pressure and formidable presence of one of England's top division's most feared football executives.

And frankly, this entire bruising episode seems to paint the director in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been tempting, given his brief stint in a similar role at Southampton, to regard Jason Wilcox as merely a drudge in the United exoskeleton: a man whose appointment was due largely to his friendship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada as any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated head coach, just as he bested the unfortunate a previous executive before him, he has demonstrated as one of the sport’s true generals: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals will now be rightly wary.

A Tactical Conflict Regarding Formation & Philosophy

To illustrate, it was the director who having been part of the leadership that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim in the first place, was instrumental in attempting to convince him to abandon his beloved formation. Naturally, these entreaties faced pushback. However, these judgements hold greater authority when delivered from the mouth of a man the impeccable football pedigree he possesses, holder of international appearances and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually Jason Wilcox might agree to explain his thought processes to the rest of us. Perhaps at some point questions may arise regarding why the coach is departing with a full payout, with no penalty clause in place. But Jason Wilcox speaks rarely publicly, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as him – simply operate on a plane exceeding our mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, probably we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not the same as being ready to receive.

An Ultimate Authority Behind Command

But of course, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we overlook the real power behind the modern United throne. The director is, in reality, merely executing the commands of his ultimate superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has emphasized his desire for a four-man defense. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also suggested deploying the forward as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for United to embrace data science and analytics. Per reports, during a leadership summit early in his investment, he declared that the team's approach of play “shall be determined by this group”.

After all, Ratcliffe is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in industry and sailing. Most importantly he is incredibly rich, and it is known, the rich are superior: more perceptive, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply superior. Who else could one trust to manage a strategic plan of austerity, the construction of a new stadium that looks a lot like someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of a new striker?

The New Soccer Hierarchy: Executives Above Managers

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing in top-tier football. Historically, clubs foolishly entrusted major sporting choices to subordinate staff such as coaches, scouts – players themselves. Maybe previously feasible for a young, visionary coach with a philosophy and drive to go into a club and implement their plan through to completion. But how many businesses have such individuals set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they managed? Far preferable to place the real power where it belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the guys with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to determine the tactics in the boardroom and hire a coach who will adapt their methods to suit. If coaches were formerly chefs, they are now more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not really responsible for the food, but still finally accountable should it be delivered poorly or fails of the box.

Nowadays, their job is increasingly less about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the receptionist of the operation, the public face of an organisation they can do little to influence. A coach at Chelsea takes a squad of literal children into Europe and wins domestic cups, and essentially gets sacked for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy sees his reputation ruined whereas those individuals who hired him continue to make errors another day.

The Neoliberal Game: Responsibility for the Coaches

And possibly on some microcosmic level this is simply corporate governance at work: the elevation of a gilded overclass who are infallible, whose choices are always untouchable, whose mistakes can always be resolved by sacking without explanation. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach and then dismiss them for playing too much 3-4-3. Bring in the project manager and later bin them for requiring excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for your new summer signings, for the fact that the grownups – however well qualified – remain in control.