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Iturns out Ruben Amorim was able to withstand defeat by Grimsby. Survive a decisive continental showpiece versus one of the worst Spurs sides for many years. He could survive losing at home against domestic rivals, a lowly league position, his rigid approach, undermining some of the club’s best academy products, a poor winning percentage, labeling his team the worst in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to tango. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, like many a top-flight defender in Blackburn’s championship 1994-95 season, Amorim took on the executive and appears to have missed. Even the most casual observer will notice the paradoxical situation: a coach who frequently berated at his players for failing in individual battles crumbling in the face of the white heat and formidable presence of one of England's top division's most feared football executives.

In truth, this whole bruising episode seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been easy, based on his brief stint in a similar role with the Saints, to view Jason Wilcox as little more than 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 mistaken we all were. In brilliantly outsmarting United’s feted manager, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless Dan Ashworth before him, he has demonstrated to be among the sport’s strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect of which United’s mid-table rivals are now rightly wary.

A Strategic Conflict Regarding Formation & Philosophy

For example, this was Jason Wilcox who being involved in the hierarchy that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach originally, played a key role in trying to persuade him to abandon his beloved 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties met a certain resistance. But perhaps these judgements carry more weight when delivered by a man with the unimpeachable football pedigree he possesses, a veteran of international appearances and a contributor to a championship team decades past.

Perhaps in time he might agree to explain his thought processes publicly. Maybe one day questions may arise regarding why the coach is departing with full compensation, with no compensation reduction clause in place. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, 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 all we would hear would be high-frequency signals and four-dimensional whirring. Wanting is not equivalent to being prepared to receive.

An Supreme Authority Behind the Throne

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the modern United throne. The director is, in reality, simply carrying out the commands of his ultimate superior the billionaire owner, who in private has emphasized his desire for a back four. It is reported, the owner has also suggested deploying the forward as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for United to embrace analytics and analytics. Per reports, in an executive meeting early in his minority ownership, he announced that United’s style to football “will be determined by this group”.

After all, Sir Jim is an expert in this technical football matters, leveraging his previous experience in petrochemicals and yachting. Most importantly he remains immensely wealthy, and it is known, the wealthy are superior: more perceptive, more wise, more tactically astute, fundamentally superior. Who else would you trust to oversee a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the building of a modern arena that appears a lot like someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Football Hierarchy: Directors Above Managers

This represents a shift we are increasingly seeing in top-tier football. Historically, teams mistakenly entrusted big footballing decisions to subordinate staff such as coaches, talent spotters – players themselves. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, innovative manager with a philosophy and energy to join a club and implement their plan through to completion. But how many companies have such individuals established? What number of large-scale layoffs have they managed? Far preferable to invest the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with the jaw-dropping LinkedIn profiles. It is wiser to determine the strategy in the boardroom and appoint a coach who can tailor their methods accordingly. If coaches were formerly chefs, they are now more like Deliveroo drivers: not responsible for the food, yet ultimately answerable should it be delivered cold or fails of the box.

In the meantime, their job has become not about crafting the philosophy and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the visible figurehead for a club they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of literal children into the Champions League and wins two medium-sized trophies, and essentially is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy finds his standing damaged whereas the people who hired him live to blunder another day.

A Modern Corporate Game: Accountability for the Coaches

And perhaps in a small way this is simply neoliberalism at work: the rise of a privileged overclass who can never be wrong, whose decisions are always untouchable, whose errors can invariably be resolved by sacking without explanation. Appoint the system coach only to fire them for playing excessively 3-4-3. Bring in the process guy and later discard them for taking too long. And above all show gratitude; for the incremental increases in ticket costs, for the latest player acquisitions, for the fact that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.