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Tbecame clear Ruben Amorim could survive defeat by Grimsby. Survive an important continental showpiece versus one of the worst Spurs sides for many years. He could survive losing at home to West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, squandering the team's most promising homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, calling the squad the worst in Manchester United history. But there was a single opponent against whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to dance. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, like many a Premiership defender in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, Amorim came at the executive and seems to have missed. Even the most casual observer will notice the paradoxical situation: a coach who often railed his squad for losing individual battles crumbling when confronted by the white heat and formidable presence of one of the Premier League’s most intimidating football executives.

And frankly, this entire painful saga seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been easy, based on his brief stint of experience at Southampton, to view him as little more than a drudge within the club's structure: an individual who owed his position largely to his close relationship with ex-colleague a fellow executive rather than any demonstrable skill. How mistaken everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring United’s feted head coach, just as he bested the hapless Dan Ashworth earlier, Jason Wilcox has proved himself to be among the sport’s strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals are now rightly wary.

A Strategic Conflict Over Formation & Ideology

For example, it was the director who being involved in the leadership that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist Amorim originally, played a key role in trying to persuade him to ditch his beloved 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these pleas were resisted. But perhaps such directives carry more weight when delivered from the mouth with the impeccable soccer background of Jason Wilcox, holder of international appearances and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually he may be persuaded to explain his reasoning publicly. Maybe one day questions may arise why Amorim is departing with full compensation, without any penalty clause in place. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as Jason Wilcox – simply operate on a plane exceeding our prosaic understanding. Were he to speak, probably all we would hear is a series of ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not the same as being ready to comprehend it.

An Ultimate Power In Command

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, after all, merely executing the commands of his ultimate superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has emphasized his preference for a four-man defense. According to reports, the owner has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for the club to adopt analytics and analytics. Per reports, during a leadership summit early in his investment, he announced that United’s style of play “shall be determined in this room”.

After all, Ratcliffe is a specialist in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his background in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he is immensely wealthy, and as we all know, the wealthy are superior: more perceptive, more wise, strategically brilliant, simply better. Whom else could one trust to manage an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that looks similar to an abstract design, the signing of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Football Hierarchy: Executives Above Managers

This represents a shift we are increasingly seeing in top-tier football. For decades, teams mistakenly delegated big footballing decisions to low-level employees such as coaches, scouts – even footballers. Maybe previously possible for a young, innovative manager with ideas and energy to join a club and implement their plan through to completion. Yet how many businesses have such individuals set up? What number of large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Far preferable to place the real power 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 by the directors and hire a coach who will adapt their methods accordingly. If managers were formerly chefs, they have become more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not really creating the food, yet finally accountable if it arrives poorly or fails to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job has become less about defining the vision and more about selling it: the receptionist of the operation, the visible figurehead of an organisation they can do little to change. A coach at Chelsea leads a team of very young players into Europe and secures two medium-sized trophies, and effectively is dismissed for talking. Wilfried Nancy sees his reputation ruined whereas the people who hired him live to blunder indefinitely.

The Modern Corporate Football: Responsibility for the Few

And possibly in a small way this represents neoliberalism in action: the elevation of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose choices remain untouchable, whose mistakes can always be resolved by sacking without justification. Hire the system coach and then dismiss him for playing excessively 3-4-3. Hire the process guy and then discard them for requiring too long. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest season ticket price rises, for your new summer signings, for the fact that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – are in charge.