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Transpired he endured defeat by Grimsby. He weathered a decisive European final against one of the worst Tottenham teams for many years. He withstood losing at home against West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, undermining some of the club’s most promising homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, labeling his team the poorest in Manchester United history. But there was one adversary with whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to engage. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous Premiership defender during Blackburn Rovers' title-winning 1994-95 season, Amorim came at Jason Wilcox and appears 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 succumbing in the face of the intense pressure and animal charisma of a England's top division's most feared football executives.

In truth, this entire bruising episode appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a whole new light. Perhaps it might have been easy, given his brief stint in a similar role with the Saints, to regard Jason Wilcox as merely a functionary within the club's structure: a man whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with his former boss a fellow executive rather than any verifiable talent. How mistaken everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, just as he bested the unfortunate a previous executive before him, Jason Wilcox has proved himself as one of football's true generals: a tactical intellect that the club's mid-table rivals are now justifiably concerned.

The Tactical Clash Regarding Formation & Philosophy

To illustrate, this was the director who having been part of the hierarchy that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim originally, played a key role in attempting to convince him to ditch his beloved formation. Unsurprisingly, these pleas met a certain resistance. But perhaps such directives carry more weight when delivered by a man of a man the unimpeachable football pedigree he possesses, holder of three England caps and a contributor to a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually Jason Wilcox might agree to outline his thought processes publicly. Maybe one day questions may arise why Amorim is departing with full compensation, without any compensation reduction clause in place. The director speaks rarely in public, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – men like him – simply operate on a plane exceeding our mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive is a series of high-frequency signals and four-dimensional whirring. Desiring an explanation is not equivalent to being ready to comprehend it.

The Supreme Authority Behind Command

Naturally, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we overlook the real power behind the modern United throne. Jason Wilcox is, after all, merely executing the directives of his ultimate line manager Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has made very clear his preference for a four-man defense. According to reports, the owner has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for United to embrace analytics and analytics. Per reports, in an executive meeting early in his minority ownership, he announced that the team's approach of play “will be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is an expert in this technical footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in industry and sailing. Above all he is immensely wealthy, and it is known, the rich are superior: more perceptive, more wise, strategically brilliant, simply better. Who 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 acquisition of a new striker?

The New Football Hierarchy: Executives Over Coaches

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels football. Historically, teams mistakenly delegated big footballing decisions to low-level employees like managers, scouts – players themselves. Perhaps it was once feasible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with ideas and energy to go into a club and see their vision supported to fruition. But how many companies have these guys set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Far preferable to place the real power where it rightly belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with impressive LinkedIn profiles. Better by far to decide the tactics in the boardroom and appoint a coach who can tailor their methods accordingly. If managers were formerly chefs, they have become more like delivery personnel: not responsible for the food, yet finally accountable should it be delivered poorly or leaks out of the box.

In the meantime, their job has become less about crafting the philosophy and more about selling it: the receptionist of the operation, the public face of an organisation they can do little to change. 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 reputation ruined whereas the people who appointed him live to blunder indefinitely.

The Neoliberal Football: Responsibility for the Few

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this is simply neoliberalism at work: the elevation of a gilded overclass who can never be wrong, whose choices remain untouchable, whose errors can always be sacked away without justification. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach only to fire him for playing excessively 3-4-3. Hire the process guy and then discard them for taking excessive time. And above all be grateful; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for your new player acquisitions, for the reality that the adults – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.