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Tbecame clear the manager was able to withstand a loss to lower-league opposition. Survive losing a crucial continental showpiece against one of the worst Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive losing at home to West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, an unwavering system, squandering the team's most promising academy products, a poor winning percentage, labeling the squad the worst the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed a single opponent against whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to tango. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, like many a Premiership right-back during Blackburn Rovers' championship 1994-95 season, Amorim took on Jason Wilcox and seems to have missed. The most casual observer will notice the irony here: a coach who often railed his squad for losing one-on-one duels crumbling in the face of the white heat and animal charisma of a England's top division's most feared sporting directors.

And frankly, this entire bruising episode seems to paint the director in a whole new light. It may have been tempting, given his brief stint in a similar role at Southampton, 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 Omar Berrada rather than any demonstrable skill. How wrong we all were. In brilliantly outsmarting the club's celebrated manager, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless a previous executive earlier, he has demonstrated to be among the sport’s strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect of which United’s competitors are now rightly wary.

The Strategic Clash Regarding System & Ideology

To illustrate, this was the director who having been part of the hierarchy that appointed the 3-4-3 fundamentalist Amorim originally, played a key role in trying to persuade Amorim to abandon his favored formation. Naturally, these pleas were resisted. But perhaps these judgements hold greater authority when delivered from the mouth with the unimpeachable football pedigree of Jason Wilcox, a veteran of three England caps and a contributor to a championship team from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually he may be persuaded to outline his reasoning publicly. Maybe one day questions may arise regarding why the coach is departing with full compensation, with no compensation reduction clause in place. The director seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – individuals such as him – function on a plane exceeding our mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, probably we would perceive is a series of ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not quite equivalent to being ready to receive.

The Supreme Authority Behind the Throne

But of course, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we overlook the true genius behind the modern United throne. The director is, in reality, merely executing the directives of his line manager the billionaire owner, who in private has made very clear his desire for a four-man defense. According to reports, the owner has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for the club to adopt data science and analytics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit soon after his minority ownership, he announced that United’s style of play “shall be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his background in industry and sailing. Above all he remains incredibly rich, and it is known, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, sagacious, more tactically astute, simply superior. Who else would you trust to oversee a strategic plan of austerity, the construction of a new stadium that looks a lot like someone’s leftover knitting, the signing of a new striker?

A New Soccer Order: Directors Above Coaches

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing in top-tier football. Historically, clubs foolishly delegated major sporting choices to low-level employees like managers, talent spotters – even footballers. Maybe previously feasible for a young, innovative manager with a philosophy and energy to join an organization and implement their plan supported to fruition. Yet how many companies have these guys set up? How many mass redundancies have they overseen? Far preferable to place the real power where it belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive professional resumes. It is wiser to determine the tactics in the boardroom and appoint someone who can tailor their methods to suit. If coaches were formerly chefs, they are now more like delivery personnel: not creating the product, but still ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or leaks out to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly less about defining the vision and more about selling it: the receptionist on the front desk, the visible figurehead for a club they have minimal power to influence. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into the Champions League and wins domestic cups, and effectively is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy sees his reputation ruined whereas those individuals who hired him continue to make errors indefinitely.

The Neoliberal Game: Responsibility for the Coaches

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents corporate governance at work: the rise of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose choices are always untouchable, whose errors can invariably be resolved by sacking without explanation. Hire the system coach and then fire them for using excessively 3-4-3. Bring in the project manager and then bin him for requiring too long. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for your new summer signings, for the reality that the adults – however well qualified – remain in control.