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Itbecame clear the manager endured defeat by Grimsby. Survive losing a crucial continental showpiece against one of the worst Tottenham teams for many years. He could survive home defeats against West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, his rigid approach, squandering some of the club’s most promising academy products, a poor winning percentage, calling his team the worst in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to tango. If you challenge the sporting director, and you best not miss.

Unfortunately, like many a Premiership right-back in Blackburn’s title-winning 1994-95 season, 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 when confronted by the white heat and animal charisma of one of the Premier League’s most intimidating sporting directors.

And frankly, this whole bruising episode seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been easy, based on his nine months in a similar role with the Saints, to view Jason Wilcox as merely a drudge within the club's structure: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada as any demonstrable skill. How wrong we all were. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring United’s feted head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate a previous executive earlier, he has demonstrated to be among the sport’s true generals: a strategic mind of which United’s competitors are now justifiably concerned.

The Tactical Clash Over System and Ideology

For example, this was the director , after having been part of the hierarchy that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim in the first place, played a key role in trying to persuade Amorim to abandon his favored 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties met a certain resistance. But perhaps these judgements carry more weight when delivered by a man with the unimpeachable football pedigree he possesses, holder of three England caps and a role in a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he may be persuaded to outline his reasoning to the rest of us. Maybe one day questions may arise why Amorim is departing with a full payout, with no penalty clause activated. The director speaks rarely in public, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers in football – men like Jason Wilcox – simply operate at a level exceeding our prosaic understanding. Were he to speak, probably we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not quite equivalent to being ready to receive.

The Supreme Authority Behind Command

Naturally, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we overlook the real power behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, simply carrying out the directives of his superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has made very clear his preference for a back four. It is reported, the owner has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to embrace data science and metrics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting soon after his minority ownership, he declared that United’s style to football “will be determined in this room”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is a specialist in this technical football matters, leveraging his background in industry and yachting. Most importantly he is immensely wealthy, and as we all know, the rich are superior: more insightful, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply better. Whom else could one trust to manage a strategic plan of austerity, the building of a modern arena that appears similar to an abstract design, the signing of Benjamin Sesko?

The New Football Hierarchy: Executives Above Managers

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels football. Historically, teams mistakenly entrusted major sporting choices to subordinate staff such as coaches, scouts – even footballers. Maybe previously feasible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with ideas and energy to go into an organization and see their vision through to completion. But how many businesses have such individuals established? What number of large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Better by far to invest genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the executive class, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with impressive LinkedIn profiles. Better by far to determine the tactics in the boardroom and hire someone who will adapt their offering to suit. If coaches were formerly chefs, they have become more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not responsible for the food, but still finally accountable if it arrives cold or leaks out to meet standards.

Nowadays, a coach's role has become less about crafting the philosophy and more about selling it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the public face of an organisation they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into Europe and wins two medium-sized trophies, and essentially gets sacked for speaking out. A manager at Celtic finds his reputation ruined whereas the people who hired him live to blunder another day.

The Neoliberal Football: Accountability for the Few

And possibly on some microcosmic level this is simply neoliberalism at work: the elevation of a gilded overclass who are infallible, whose decisions are always untouchable, whose errors can invariably be sacked away without justification. Appoint the system coach only to dismiss him for playing too much that system. Hire the project manager and then discard him for requiring excessive time. And most importantly show gratitude; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for your new summer signings, for the fact that the grownups – however well qualified – are in charge.