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Itranspired the manager was able to withstand defeat by lower-league opposition. He weathered losing a crucial continental showpiece versus one of the worst Tottenham teams for many years. He withstood home defeats against domestic rivals, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, 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 against whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to dance. You come at Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, similar to numerous Premiership right-back during Blackburn Rovers' title-winning campaign, Amorim came at Jason Wilcox and appears to have failed. Even the most distracted of readers will notice the paradoxical situation: a manager who often railed at his players for failing in individual battles crumbling in the face of the white heat and animal charisma of one of England's top division's most feared football executives.

In truth, this entire bruising episode seems to paint the director in a different perspective. It may have been tempting, given his brief stint in a similar role with the Saints, to regard him as little more than a drudge within the club's structure: an individual who owed his position as much to his friendship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada rather than any verifiable talent. How wrong we all were. By masterfully outsmarting the club's celebrated head coach, just as he bested the hapless Dan Ashworth earlier, he has proved himself to be among football's strategic masterminds: a strategic mind that United’s competitors are now justifiably concerned.

A Tactical Clash Over System & Ideology

For example, it was the director who being involved in the leadership that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach originally, played a key role in attempting to convince Amorim to abandon his beloved 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these pleas were resisted. However, these judgements hold greater authority when delivered by a man of a man the unimpeachable football pedigree of Jason Wilcox, a veteran 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. Maybe one day he might be asked regarding why the coach is walking away with full compensation, with no penalty clause in place. But Jason Wilcox speaks rarely in public, and with very good reason. The true intellectuals in football – men like Jason Wilcox – function at a level beyond our own prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Wanting is not quite equivalent to being prepared to receive.

An Supreme Authority Behind Command

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the true genius behind the modern United throne. Jason Wilcox is, after all, simply carrying out the commands of his line manager Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who privately has emphasized his desire for a four-man defense. It is reported, the owner has also suggested deploying the forward in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for United to adopt data science and metrics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting early in his investment, he announced that the team's approach of play “shall be determined in this room”.

After all, Ratcliffe is a specialist in this technical footballing stuff, drawing from his background in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he remains immensely wealthy, and as we all know, the rich are superior: more insightful, more wise, strategically brilliant, simply better. Whom else would you trust to oversee a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the building of a new stadium that appears a lot like an abstract design, the acquisition of a new striker?

The New Football Order: Directors Above Managers

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels football. Historically, clubs foolishly entrusted big footballing decisions to low-level employees like managers, scouts – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with ideas and drive to go into a club and implement their plan through to completion. Yet how many businesses have these guys set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they managed? Far preferable to invest the real power where it belongs: the executive class, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with impressive professional resumes. Better by far to determine the tactics in the boardroom and hire someone who will adapt their methods accordingly. If coaches were formerly chefs, they have become more akin to delivery personnel: not really responsible for the food, but still finally accountable should it be delivered poorly or fails to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job has become not about defining the vision and more about selling it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the public face for a club they can do little to influence. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of very young players into the Champions League and wins domestic cups, and effectively gets sacked for talking. Wilfried Nancy finds his standing damaged whereas the people who hired him continue to make errors another day.

The Modern Corporate Game: Responsibility for the Coaches

And perhaps in a small way this is simply neoliberalism in action: the elevation of a privileged overclass who can never be wrong, whose choices remain sacrosanct, whose mistakes can always be resolved by sacking without explanation. Appoint the system coach only to dismiss him for using excessively 3-4-3. Bring in the process guy and then bin him for requiring too long. And most importantly show gratitude; for your modest season ticket price rises, for the latest player acquisitions, for the fact that the grownups – however well qualified – remain in control.