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Itranspired Ruben Amorim endured defeat by Grimsby. Survive an important continental showpiece versus one of the worst Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive home defeats against domestic rivals, finishing 15th, his rigid approach, squandering the team's best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, labeling the squad the worst in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom the Portuguese coach was not permitted to engage. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous top-flight right-back in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, Amorim took on Jason Wilcox and seems to have missed. The most casual observer will notice the irony here: a manager who frequently berated his squad for losing individual battles succumbing when confronted by the intense pressure and animal charisma of one of England's top division's most intimidating sporting directors.

In truth, this entire painful saga seems to paint the director in a whole new light. Perhaps it might have been tempting, given his nine months of experience with the Saints, to regard him as little more than a functionary in the United exoskeleton: a man whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada as any verifiable talent. How mistaken everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated manager, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless Dan Ashworth before him, Jason Wilcox has demonstrated as one of football's true generals: a strategic mind that United’s competitors are now justifiably concerned.

The Strategic Conflict Over Formation & Ideology

To illustrate, it was Jason Wilcox who being involved in the hierarchy that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim in the first place, was instrumental in attempting to convince Amorim to abandon his favored formation. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties met a certain resistance. However, these judgements carry more weight when delivered from the mouth of a man the unimpeachable soccer background he possesses, holder of three England caps 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. Maybe one day questions may arise why Amorim is walking away with full compensation, without any penalty clause in place. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks in public, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as him – function on a plane exceeding our mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, probably all we would hear is a series of ultrasonic blips and four-dimensional whirring. Desiring an explanation is not equivalent to being ready to receive.

The Supreme Power Behind the Throne

But of course, in training our focus on Jason Wilcox we are obscuring the true genius behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, after all, simply carrying out the commands of his ultimate superior the billionaire owner, who in private has made very clear his preference for a back four. It is reported, the owner has also suggested deploying the forward in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for United to embrace analytics and metrics. 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”.

After all, Ratcliffe is a specialist in these intricate footballing stuff, leveraging his previous experience in industry and yachting. Most importantly he is incredibly rich, and as we all know, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply better. Who else could one trust to manage a strategic plan of austerity, the building of a modern arena that looks similar to an abstract design, the signing of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Soccer Order: Executives Above Coaches

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels football. For decades, clubs foolishly delegated big footballing decisions to low-level employees like managers, scouts – players themselves. Maybe previously possible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager 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? What number of mass redundancies have they overseen? Better by far to invest the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with the jaw-dropping LinkedIn profiles. It is wiser to decide the strategy by the directors and hire someone who can tailor their methods to suit. If managers were once chefs, they are now more akin to delivery personnel: not creating the food, but still ultimately answerable if it arrives cold or leaks out to meet standards.

In the meantime, a coach's role 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 change. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into the Champions League and secures two medium-sized trophies, and effectively is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy sees his reputation ruined whereas the people who appointed him continue to make errors another day.

The Modern Corporate Football: Responsibility Only for the Few

And possibly in a small way this is simply neoliberalism at work: the elevation of a gilded elite who can never be wrong, whose decisions are always untouchable, whose errors can invariably be sacked away without justification. Hire the system coach and then fire them for playing excessively 3-4-3. Bring in the project manager and then discard him for requiring excessive time. And most importantly show gratitude; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for your new summer signings, for the fact that the adults – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.