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Tbecame clear the manager could survive defeat by Grimsby. Survive a decisive continental showpiece versus a particularly poor Tottenham teams for many years. He withstood home defeats against domestic rivals, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, laying waste to some of the club’s most promising homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, calling his team the poorest in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to dance. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Regrettably, similar to numerous top-flight right-back in Blackburn’s championship 1994-95 season, the coach came at Jason Wilcox and appears to have failed. The most distracted of readers can see the irony here: a coach who frequently berated his squad for failing in individual battles crumbling when confronted by the intense pressure and animal charisma of one of the Premier League’s most intimidating football executives.

In truth, this entire bruising episode appears to portray the director in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been tempting, based on his nine months in a similar role with the Saints, to view him as merely a drudge in the United exoskeleton: an individual who owed his position as much to his friendship with his former boss a fellow executive as any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate a previous executive before him, he has proved himself to be among football's strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect of which the club's mid-table rivals will now be justifiably concerned.

A Tactical Clash Regarding Formation & Ideology

For example, this was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the leadership that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist Amorim originally, was instrumental in attempting to convince him to ditch his beloved formation. Unsurprisingly, these pleas met a certain resistance. But perhaps such directives carry more weight when delivered by a man with the unimpeachable soccer background of Jason Wilcox, holder of international appearances and a role in a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually he might agree to explain his reasoning publicly. Perhaps at some point questions may arise regarding why the coach is walking away with full compensation, without any penalty clause in place. The director seldom speaks publicly, for excellent reasons. The true intellectuals of this sport – men like Jason Wilcox – simply operate at a level beyond our own mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, probably we would perceive is a series of high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not quite equivalent to being ready to receive.

An Supreme Authority In Command

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we are obscuring the real power behind the modern United throne. The director is, in reality, merely executing the directives of his ultimate line manager Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has emphasized his desire for a four-man defense. According to reports, Ratcliffe has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for the club to embrace data science and metrics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit early in his investment, he declared that United’s style to football “shall be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in petrochemicals and yachting. Most importantly he remains incredibly rich, and it is known, the rich are superior: more perceptive, sagacious, more tactically astute, fundamentally superior. Whom else could one trust to oversee an enlightened programme of austerity, the building of a new stadium that appears similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of a new striker?

A Modern Football Order: Directors Over Coaches

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent in top-tier football. For decades, clubs foolishly entrusted big footballing decisions to subordinate staff such as coaches, scouts – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with ideas 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 large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Far preferable to place genuine authority where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to determine the strategy by the directors and hire someone who will adapt their offering accordingly. If coaches were once chefs, they have become more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not creating the food, yet finally accountable should it be delivered poorly or fails to meet standards.

Nowadays, a coach's role is increasingly not about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the receptionist of the operation, the public face for a club they have minimal power to change. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into Europe and wins domestic cups, and effectively is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy sees his standing damaged while the people who hired him live to blunder another day.

A Neoliberal Game: Responsibility for the Few

And perhaps in a small way this is simply corporate governance in action: the rise of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose choices are always sacrosanct, whose mistakes can always be sacked away without justification. Appoint the system coach only to dismiss him for playing excessively 3-4-3. Bring in the process guy and then discard him for taking too long. And above all be grateful; for your modest season ticket price rises, for the latest summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – however well qualified – remain in control.