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Itbecame clear Ruben Amorim could survive defeat by lower-league opposition. He weathered losing a crucial European final versus a particularly poor Tottenham teams for many years. He could survive home defeats to West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, his rigid approach, undermining some of the club’s most promising academy products, a poor winning percentage, calling the squad the poorest in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom the Portuguese coach was not permitted to tango. You come at the sporting director, you had better succeed.

Regrettably, like many a Premiership right-back during Blackburn Rovers' championship campaign, the coach took on the executive and seems to have failed. The most distracted of readers will notice the paradoxical situation: a coach who frequently berated his squad for failing in one-on-one duels crumbling in the face of the white heat and animal charisma of a the Premier League’s most feared sporting directors.

And frankly, this whole bruising episode seems to paint the director in a different perspective. It may have been easy, based on his brief stint of experience at Southampton, to regard Jason Wilcox as merely a functionary in the United exoskeleton: a man whose appointment was due as much to his close relationship with his former boss Omar Berrada rather than any demonstrable skill. How wrong we all were. In brilliantly outsmarting United’s feted manager, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless Dan Ashworth earlier, he has proved himself to be among the sport’s strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that United’s competitors will now be justifiably concerned.

A Tactical Conflict Regarding System and Ideology

To illustrate, it was the director who being involved in the hierarchy that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist Amorim in the first place, was instrumental in attempting to convince Amorim to abandon his beloved 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these pleas were resisted. But perhaps such directives hold greater authority when issued from the mouth with the impeccable football pedigree he possesses, a veteran of international appearances and a contributor to a title-winning side decades past.

Perhaps in time Jason Wilcox may be persuaded to outline his reasoning publicly. Perhaps at some point questions may arise regarding why the coach is departing with a full payout, without any penalty clause in place. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks in public, for excellent reasons. The true intellectuals of this sport – individuals such as him – simply operate at a level beyond our own mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, probably we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and four-dimensional whirring. Desiring an explanation is not the same as being prepared to receive.

The Ultimate Power In 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 superior the billionaire owner, who privately has made very clear his desire for a four-man defense. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. Ratcliffe is keen for United to adopt data science and metrics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting soon after his investment, he announced that the team's approach of play “shall be decided by this group”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is a specialist in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in petrochemicals and sailing. Most importantly he remains immensely wealthy, and it is known, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply better. Who else could one trust to oversee a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the building of a new stadium that appears similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

The Modern Football Hierarchy: Executives Above Coaches

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing in top-tier of the game. Historically, teams mistakenly delegated major sporting choices to low-level employees such as coaches, scouts – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, innovative manager with a philosophy and energy to go into an organization and implement their plan through to completion. Yet how many companies have these guys established? What number of mass redundancies have they overseen? Better by far to place the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the guys with impressive professional resumes. Better by far to decide the strategy in the boardroom and hire a coach who can tailor their methods to suit. If managers were formerly chefs, they have become more like Deliveroo drivers: not creating the food, but still finally accountable if it arrives cold or fails to meet standards.

Nowadays, a coach's role is increasingly not about defining the vision 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 takes a squad of literal children into Europe and wins two medium-sized trophies, and essentially gets sacked for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy sees his standing damaged while the people who hired him live to blunder indefinitely.

A Neoliberal Game: Responsibility for the Few

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents corporate governance at work: the elevation of a privileged elite who can never be wrong, whose decisions remain sacrosanct, whose mistakes can invariably 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 later discard him for taking excessive time. And above all show gratitude; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for your new player acquisitions, for the fact that the adults – however well qualified – remain in control.