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Itranspired he was able to withstand losing against lower-league opposition. Survive a decisive European final against one of the worst Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive home defeats to West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, undermining some of the club’s most promising homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, labeling his team the worst the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed a single opponent against whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to dance. If you challenge the sporting director, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous Premiership defender during Blackburn Rovers' championship 1994-95 season, the coach took on Jason Wilcox and seems to have failed. Even the most distracted of readers can see the irony here: a coach who often railed his squad for failing in one-on-one duels crumbling when confronted by the intense pressure and animal charisma of a the Premier League’s most intimidating sporting directors.

And frankly, this whole painful saga appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been tempting, based on his nine months in a similar role with the Saints, to view him as little more than a functionary in the United exoskeleton: a man whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with his former boss Omar Berrada as any demonstrable skill. How mistaken we all were. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate Dan Ashworth before him, Jason Wilcox has proved himself to be among football's strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals are now justifiably concerned.

The Tactical Conflict Regarding Formation and Philosophy

To illustrate, this was the director who having been part of the leadership that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim in the first place, was instrumental in attempting to convince Amorim to abandon his beloved formation. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties were resisted. But perhaps such directives hold greater authority when issued by a man with the unimpeachable soccer background he possesses, a veteran of three England caps and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually he may be persuaded to outline his thought processes to the rest of us. Maybe one day questions may arise why Amorim is departing with full compensation, with no penalty clause in place. But Jason Wilcox speaks rarely publicly, and with very good reason. The true intellectuals of this sport – men like him – simply operate on a plane exceeding our prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, probably we would perceive would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not the same as being prepared to comprehend it.

The Supreme Power In the Throne

But of course, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we are obscuring the true genius behind the modern United throne. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, simply carrying out the directives of his line manager Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has emphasized his desire for a back four. According to reports, the owner has also proposed deploying the forward in a wing-back role. Ratcliffe is keen for United to embrace analytics and metrics. Per reports, during a leadership summit soon after his investment, he announced that the team's approach to football “will be determined in this room”.

After all, Sir Jim is an expert in this technical football matters, leveraging his previous experience in industry and yachting. Above all he remains immensely wealthy, and as we all know, the rich are the best of us: more perceptive, sagacious, more tactically astute, simply better. Whom else could one trust to manage a strategic plan of austerity, the construction of a modern arena that looks a lot like an abstract design, the acquisition of a new striker?

The Modern Soccer Hierarchy: Executives Above Coaches

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing in top-tier of the game. Historically, clubs foolishly entrusted major sporting choices to subordinate staff such as coaches, talent spotters – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with a philosophy and drive to join a club and see their vision supported to fruition. But how many companies have these guys set up? What number of mass redundancies have they managed? Far preferable to place the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive professional resumes. Better by far to determine the strategy by the directors and appoint a coach who can tailor their offering accordingly. If coaches were once chefs, they have become more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not really creating the food, but still finally accountable should it be delivered cold or fails of the box.

Nowadays, their job has become less about crafting the philosophy and more about selling it: the receptionist of the operation, the visible figurehead for a club they can do little to influence. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into the Champions League and wins domestic cups, and essentially gets sacked for talking. Wilfried Nancy sees his standing damaged while those individuals who hired him continue to make errors another day.

A Neoliberal Game: Responsibility Only for the Few

And possibly on some microcosmic level this is simply neoliberalism in action: the rise of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose choices remain sacrosanct, whose mistakes can always be resolved by sacking without explanation. Appoint the system coach and then dismiss him for playing too much 3-4-3. Hire the project manager and later discard him for requiring too long. And above all show gratitude; for the incremental increases in ticket costs, for the latest summer signings, for the fact that the grownups – however well qualified – remain in control.