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Turns out he could survive a loss to Grimsby. He weathered losing a crucial European final versus one of the worst Spurs sides for many years. He could survive home defeats against domestic rivals, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, undermining the team's most promising homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, labeling his team the poorest in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom the Portuguese coach was not permitted to dance. If you challenge the sporting director, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, like many a top-flight right-back during Blackburn Rovers' title-winning campaign, Amorim came at the executive and seems to have failed. The most casual observer will notice the paradoxical situation: a coach who frequently berated his squad for failing in individual battles succumbing when confronted by the white heat and animal charisma of a the Premier League’s most feared sporting directors.

And frankly, this entire bruising episode appears to portray the director in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been easy, based on his nine months of experience with the Saints, to regard Jason Wilcox as merely a drudge within the club's structure: a man who owed his position largely to his friendship with his former boss a fellow executive rather than any verifiable talent. How mistaken we all were. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring United’s feted head coach, just as he bested the unfortunate Dan Ashworth earlier, Jason Wilcox has demonstrated to be among football's true generals: a strategic mind that the club's mid-table rivals are now rightly wary.

The Tactical Clash Over System & Ideology

For example, it was Jason Wilcox who being involved in the hierarchy that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim in the first place, played a key role in trying to persuade him to ditch his beloved formation. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties were resisted. However, these judgements hold greater authority when issued from the mouth with the unimpeachable football pedigree he possesses, holder of international appearances and a role in a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he might agree to explain his reasoning publicly. Perhaps at some point he might be asked why Amorim is departing with a full payout, with no compensation reduction clause activated. The director speaks rarely in public, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – men like Jason Wilcox – function on a plane exceeding our mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, most likely we would perceive is a series of ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not the same as being ready to receive.

An Ultimate Authority Behind Command

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 directives of his line manager the billionaire owner, who privately has made very clear his preference for a back four. It is reported, the owner has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for the club to adopt data science and metrics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit soon after his minority ownership, he declared that the team's approach of play “shall be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his background in petrochemicals and yachting. Most importantly he is immensely wealthy, and it is known, the wealthy are superior: more insightful, more wise, more tactically astute, fundamentally superior. Who else could one trust to manage a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the building of a new stadium that looks similar to an abstract design, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Soccer Order: Directors Above Managers

This is a trend that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels of the game. For decades, clubs foolishly delegated major sporting choices to subordinate staff such as coaches, talent spotters – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, innovative manager with a philosophy and drive to go into an organization and see their vision supported to fruition. Yet how many companies have these guys set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Better by far to invest genuine authority where it belongs: the executive class, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to decide the strategy in the boardroom and hire a coach who will adapt their offering accordingly. If managers were formerly chefs, they have become more akin to delivery personnel: not really responsible for the food, yet ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or fails to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly less about crafting the philosophy and more about selling it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the public face for a club they can do little to influence. A coach at Chelsea leads a team of literal children into Europe and wins domestic cups, and effectively gets sacked for speaking out. A manager at Celtic sees his standing damaged whereas those individuals who hired him live to blunder indefinitely.

The Neoliberal Football: Accountability for the Few

And perhaps in a small way this is simply corporate governance in action: the rise of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose choices are always untouchable, whose errors can invariably be sacked away without justification. Hire the 3-4-3 coach only to dismiss them for playing excessively 3-4-3. Bring in the process guy and later bin him for taking excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for the latest player acquisitions, for the reality that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.