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Iturns out Ruben Amorim could survive a loss to Grimsby. He weathered a decisive continental showpiece versus one of the worst Tottenham teams for many years. He could survive losing at home against West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, the tactical inflexibility, squandering 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 was not permitted to dance. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous Premiership right-back during Blackburn Rovers' title-winning campaign, Amorim came at the executive and appears to have failed. Even the most distracted of readers can see the irony here: a coach who frequently berated his squad for failing in one-on-one duels succumbing when confronted by the intense pressure and formidable presence of a the Premier League’s most feared football executives.

In truth, this whole painful saga seems to paint the director in a different perspective. It may have been easy, given his nine months in a similar role with the Saints, to view him as merely a drudge in the United exoskeleton: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with his former boss Omar Berrada as any verifiable talent. How mistaken everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring United’s feted head coach, just as he bested the unfortunate a previous executive before him, he has demonstrated to be among the sport’s true generals: a strategic mind of which United’s mid-table rivals are now justifiably concerned.

The Tactical Clash Regarding Formation and Ideology

For example, this was Jason Wilcox who being involved in the hierarchy that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim originally, played a key role in trying to persuade Amorim to ditch his beloved 3-4-3. Naturally, these entreaties were resisted. However, these judgements carry more weight when issued from the mouth of a man the impeccable soccer background he possesses, a veteran of international appearances and a contributor to a championship team from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually he might agree to explain his reasoning publicly. Perhaps at some point questions may arise why Amorim is walking away with a full payout, with no penalty clause activated. The director seldom speaks publicly, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers in football – individuals such as him – simply operate at a level exceeding our prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, probably we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not quite equivalent to being ready to comprehend it.

An Ultimate Power In Command

But of course, in training our focus on Jason Wilcox we overlook the real power behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, simply carrying out the directives of his ultimate superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has emphasized his preference for a back four. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also suggested deploying the forward in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for United to adopt data science and analytics. Per reports, in an executive meeting early in his investment, he announced that the team's approach of play “will be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is a specialist in this technical footballing stuff, leveraging his background in industry and sailing. Most importantly he is incredibly rich, and it is known, the rich are superior: more insightful, sagacious, more tactically astute, simply superior. Who else would you trust to manage a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that looks a lot like someone’s leftover knitting, the signing of a new striker?

The Modern Soccer Hierarchy: Executives Over Coaches

This represents a shift we are increasingly seeing in top-tier football. Historically, teams mistakenly entrusted big footballing decisions to low-level employees such as coaches, talent spotters – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, innovative manager with ideas and energy to go into a club and implement their plan supported to fruition. But how many companies have such individuals set up? What number of mass redundancies have they managed? Better by far to invest genuine authority where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with impressive LinkedIn profiles. It is wiser to determine the strategy in the boardroom and hire someone who can tailor their methods accordingly. If coaches were once chefs, they are now more like delivery personnel: not creating the food, but still finally accountable if it arrives poorly or fails of the box.

In the meantime, their job has become less about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative of the operation, the public face of an organisation they can do little to influence. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into Europe and secures domestic cups, and essentially is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy sees his standing damaged while those individuals who appointed him live to blunder indefinitely.

A Modern Corporate Game: Responsibility Only for the Few

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents corporate governance at work: the elevation of a privileged overclass who can never be wrong, whose decisions are always untouchable, whose mistakes can invariably be sacked away without explanation. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach and then fire them for playing too much 3-4-3. Bring in the project manager and later bin him for requiring too long. And most importantly be grateful; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for the latest summer signings, for the fact that the adults – however well qualified – are in charge.