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Tbecame clear Ruben Amorim endured defeat by lower-league opposition. Survive a decisive European final versus a particularly poor Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive losing at home against West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, squandering the team's best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, labeling his team the worst in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to dance. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous top-flight defender in Blackburn’s championship campaign, the coach came at Jason Wilcox and seems to have missed. Even the most casual observer can see the irony here: a manager who often railed his squad for losing individual battles crumbling when confronted by the white heat and animal charisma of a the Premier League’s most intimidating football executives.

And frankly, this whole bruising episode seems to paint 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 Jason Wilcox as little more than a drudge in the United exoskeleton: a man who owed his position largely to his close relationship with his former boss Omar Berrada as any verifiable talent. How wrong everyone was. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated head coach, just as he bested the unfortunate a previous executive earlier, he has proved himself to be among the sport’s true generals: a tactical intellect that the club's mid-table rivals are now justifiably concerned.

The Tactical Clash Regarding System and Philosophy

To illustrate, this was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the hierarchy that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim originally, was instrumental in trying to persuade him to abandon his favored 3-4-3. Naturally, these entreaties faced pushback. However, these judgements hold greater authority when issued by a man with the impeccable football pedigree he possesses, holder of international appearances and a contributor to a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually Jason Wilcox may be persuaded to explain his thought processes to the rest of us. Perhaps at some point questions may arise regarding why the coach is departing with a full payout, without any compensation reduction clause activated. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – men like Jason Wilcox – function on a plane exceeding our prosaic understanding. Were he to speak, most likely we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and four-dimensional whirring. Desiring an explanation is not equivalent to being prepared to receive.

An Supreme Power Behind Command

Naturally, in training our focus on Jason Wilcox we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, after all, merely executing the directives of his superior the billionaire owner, who in private has emphasized his preference for a four-man defense. According to reports, the owner has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for United to embrace data science and analytics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting early in his minority ownership, he announced that the team's approach to football “will be decided by this group”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is a specialist in this technical football matters, drawing from his previous experience in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he is immensely wealthy, and it is known, the rich are superior: more insightful, sagacious, more tactically astute, fundamentally better. Whom else could one trust to manage an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that looks similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the signing of a new striker?

A New Football Order: Executives Over Coaches

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing in top-tier of the game. For decades, clubs foolishly delegated major sporting choices to low-level employees such as coaches, talent spotters – even footballers. Maybe previously feasible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with ideas and drive to join an organization and see their vision supported to fruition. But how many companies have these guys set up? What number of large-scale layoffs have they managed? Better by far to place genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with the jaw-dropping LinkedIn profiles. It is wiser to decide the strategy by the directors and hire a coach who can tailor their methods accordingly. If coaches were formerly chefs, they have become more akin to delivery personnel: not responsible for the product, but still finally accountable if it arrives poorly or fails to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly not about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the receptionist of the operation, the public face of an organisation they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of literal children into Europe and secures domestic cups, and essentially gets sacked for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy finds his standing damaged while those individuals who hired him live to blunder indefinitely.

A Modern Corporate Football: Accountability for the Few

And possibly in a small way this is simply corporate governance at work: the elevation of a privileged overclass who are infallible, whose choices remain sacrosanct, whose mistakes can always be sacked away without explanation. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach and then dismiss him for playing excessively 3-4-3. Hire the process guy and then discard them for requiring excessive time. And most importantly show gratitude; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for the latest summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – are in charge.