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Iturns out Ruben Amorim was able to withstand defeat by lower-league opposition. He weathered losing a crucial European final versus one of the worst Tottenham teams for many years. He withstood home defeats to West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, his rigid approach, squandering some of the club’s best academy products, the 32% win rate, calling his team the poorest in Manchester United history. But there was a single opponent with whom the Portuguese coach was not permitted to engage. You come at the sporting director, and you best not miss.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous Premiership right-back in Blackburn’s championship campaign, the coach came at the executive and appears to have missed. The most distracted of readers will notice the irony here: a coach who frequently berated his squad for losing individual battles succumbing when confronted by the white heat and animal charisma of a England's top division's most intimidating sporting directors.

In truth, this whole bruising episode seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been tempting, given his nine months in a similar role at Southampton, to view him as merely a functionary within the club's structure: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with his former boss Omar Berrada rather than any verifiable talent. How mistaken everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, just as he bested the hapless Dan Ashworth before him, he has demonstrated to be among football's true generals: a strategic mind of which United’s mid-table rivals are now rightly wary.

The Strategic Conflict Over Formation and Philosophy

For example, it was Jason Wilcox who being involved in the leadership that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist the coach originally, was instrumental in trying to persuade him to abandon his beloved 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties were resisted. However, such directives carry more weight when delivered from the mouth of a man the unimpeachable football pedigree of Jason Wilcox, a veteran of three England caps and a role in a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually he may be persuaded to explain his thought processes to the rest of us. Perhaps at some point questions may arise regarding why the coach is walking away with a full payout, with no penalty clause in place. The director seldom speaks in public, and with very good reason. The true intellectuals of this sport – individuals such as him – function on a plane exceeding our mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, most likely all we would hear would be ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not quite equivalent to being ready to comprehend it.

The Ultimate Power Behind the Throne

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, merely executing the directives of his ultimate line manager the billionaire owner, who in private has made very clear his preference for a back four. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. Ratcliffe is keen for United to embrace data science and metrics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting soon after his investment, he declared that United’s style to football “will be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is an expert in these intricate football matters, leveraging his background in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he remains incredibly rich, and it is known, the wealthy are the best of us: more insightful, sagacious, more tactically astute, fundamentally better. Whom else could one trust to manage a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the building of a modern arena that appears similar to an abstract design, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Soccer Hierarchy: Directors Over Coaches

This is a trend that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels of the game. For decades, teams mistakenly entrusted major sporting choices to subordinate staff such as coaches, scouts – players themselves. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, visionary coach with a philosophy and energy to go into a club and see their vision through to completion. But how many businesses have such individuals set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Better by far to place genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. It is wiser to determine the tactics in the boardroom and hire a coach who can tailor their methods to suit. If managers were formerly chefs, they have become more like delivery personnel: not responsible for the food, but still finally accountable should it be delivered cold or leaks out of the box.

In the meantime, a coach's role has become not about crafting the philosophy and more about selling it: the receptionist on the front desk, the visible figurehead of an organisation they have minimal power to influence. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into Europe and wins two medium-sized trophies, and effectively gets sacked for speaking out. A manager at Celtic sees his reputation ruined whereas those individuals who appointed him live to blunder another day.

The Modern Corporate Football: Accountability for the Few

And possibly on some microcosmic level this represents neoliberalism at work: the rise of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose choices remain untouchable, whose errors can always be resolved by sacking without explanation. Hire the 3-4-3 coach and then dismiss him for using too much 3-4-3. Bring in the process guy and later discard them for requiring too long. And above all be grateful; for your modest season ticket price rises, for the latest summer signings, for the fact that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – are in charge.