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Tbecame clear Ruben Amorim endured losing against Grimsby. Survive a decisive European final against one of the worst Spurs sides in living memory. He withstood home defeats to domestic rivals, finishing 15th, his rigid approach, undermining the team's best homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, labeling the squad the poorest in Manchester United history. But there was a single opponent with whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to tango. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Regrettably, like many a top-flight right-back in Blackburn’s championship 1994-95 season, the coach took on the executive and seems to have missed. Even the most distracted of readers can see the irony here: a coach who frequently berated at his players for failing in one-on-one duels crumbling in the face of the intense pressure and animal charisma of one of England's top division's most intimidating sporting directors.

In truth, this whole painful saga appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been tempting, given his brief stint of experience at Southampton, to view him as merely a functionary within the club's structure: a man whose appointment was due as much to his friendship with his former boss a fellow executive as any verifiable talent. How mistaken everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated manager, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless a previous executive before him, Jason Wilcox has proved himself to be among football's strategic masterminds: a strategic mind that United’s competitors are now rightly wary.

A Tactical Clash Over System and Philosophy

To illustrate, this was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the leadership that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach originally, played a key role in trying to persuade Amorim to ditch his favored 3-4-3. Naturally, these pleas faced pushback. But perhaps such directives carry more weight when issued from the mouth of a man the unimpeachable football pedigree he possesses, a veteran of international appearances and a contributor to a championship team 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 walking away with full compensation, with no penalty clause in place. The director speaks rarely in public, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers of this sport – individuals such as Jason Wilcox – function on a plane exceeding our mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, probably we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not quite equivalent to being ready to comprehend it.

The Supreme Power In 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, after all, simply carrying out the commands of his ultimate superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has made very clear his preference for a back four. It is reported, the owner has also proposed deploying the forward in a wing-back role. Ratcliffe is keen for United to adopt data science and analytics. Per reports, during a leadership summit soon after his investment, he declared that the team's approach to football “will be determined by this group”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is a specialist in these intricate football matters, drawing from his previous experience in petrochemicals and sailing. Most importantly he is incredibly rich, and it is known, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, more wise, strategically brilliant, fundamentally better. Who else would you trust to manage a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that looks similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Soccer Order: Executives Over Managers

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels of the game. For decades, teams mistakenly delegated big footballing decisions to subordinate staff like managers, talent spotters – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, visionary coach with ideas and energy to go into an organization and implement their plan supported to fruition. But how many businesses have such individuals established? How many mass redundancies have they managed? Better by far to invest the real power where it rightly belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with the jaw-dropping LinkedIn profiles. Better by far to determine the strategy by the directors and appoint a coach who can tailor their offering to suit. If managers were once chefs, they have become more akin to delivery personnel: not really responsible for the food, yet ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or leaks out to meet standards.

Nowadays, their job is increasingly less about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the visible figurehead of an organisation they can do little to influence. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of literal children into the Champions League and secures domestic cups, and essentially is dismissed for talking. Wilfried Nancy finds his standing damaged while those individuals who appointed him continue to make errors indefinitely.

A Modern Corporate Game: Accountability Only for the Coaches

And possibly on some microcosmic level this is simply neoliberalism in action: the elevation of a privileged elite who can never be wrong, whose decisions are always sacrosanct, whose mistakes can always be sacked away without explanation. Appoint the system coach only to fire him for using too much that system. Hire the process guy and later discard him for taking too long. And above all show gratitude; for your modest season ticket price rises, for your new player acquisitions, for the fact that the grownups – however well qualified – are in charge.