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Iturns out Ruben Amorim endured defeat by Grimsby. Survive a decisive continental showpiece against one of the worst Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive losing at home against West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, his rigid approach, laying waste to the team's best homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, calling the squad the poorest in Manchester United history. But there was one adversary against whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to engage. You come at Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous Premiership right-back during Blackburn Rovers' title-winning 1994-95 season, Amorim came at the executive and appears to have missed. Even the most distracted of readers will notice the paradoxical situation: a manager who frequently berated his squad for failing in individual battles crumbling when confronted by the white heat and animal charisma of one of England's top division's most feared football executives.

In truth, this whole painful saga seems to paint the director in a whole new light. It may have been tempting, given his nine months of experience at Southampton, to view Jason Wilcox as little more than a drudge within the club's structure: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his friendship with his former boss a fellow executive as any verifiable talent. How mistaken everyone was. By masterfully outsmarting the club's celebrated manager, just as he bested the unfortunate Dan Ashworth earlier, Jason Wilcox has demonstrated to be among football's strategic masterminds: a strategic mind of which the club's mid-table rivals are now justifiably concerned.

The Tactical Conflict Regarding Formation and Ideology

For example, this was Jason Wilcox who being involved in the hierarchy that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach originally, played a key role in trying to persuade him to ditch his favored formation. Naturally, these entreaties met a certain resistance. However, such directives carry more weight when issued from the mouth of a man the impeccable soccer background he possesses, holder of international appearances and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he might agree to outline his thought processes to the rest of us. Maybe one day questions may arise why Amorim is walking away with full compensation, without any penalty clause activated. The director speaks rarely publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – men like Jason Wilcox – function at a level beyond our own mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive would be high-frequency signals and four-dimensional whirring. Desiring an explanation is not quite equivalent to being prepared to receive.

An Ultimate Power In the Throne

Naturally, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the true genius behind the modern United throne. The director is, after all, merely executing the commands of his superior the billionaire owner, who privately has made very clear his preference for a four-man defense. According to reports, Ratcliffe has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for United to embrace data science and metrics. Per reports, during a leadership summit soon after his investment, he declared that United’s style of play “shall be decided by this group”.

After all, Sir Jim is an expert in this technical football matters, drawing from his background in petrochemicals and yachting. Most importantly he remains incredibly rich, and as we all know, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, more wise, more tactically astute, fundamentally superior. Who else could one trust to manage an enlightened programme of austerity, the building of a new stadium that appears a lot like someone’s leftover knitting, the signing of Benjamin Sesko?

The New Football Hierarchy: Executives Over Managers

This represents a shift we are increasingly seeing in top-tier of the game. Historically, clubs foolishly delegated big footballing decisions to low-level employees like managers, talent spotters – players themselves. Maybe previously feasible for a young, visionary coach with ideas and energy to join an organization and see their vision through to completion. Yet how many companies have such individuals set up? What number of mass redundancies have they managed? Far preferable to invest the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. It is wiser to determine the strategy by the directors and hire someone who will adapt their methods accordingly. If managers were once chefs, they are now more akin to delivery personnel: not responsible for the food, yet ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or leaks out to meet standards.

In the meantime, a coach's role has become not about defining the vision and more about selling it: the receptionist on the front desk, the public face for a club they have minimal power to change. A coach at Chelsea leads a team of literal children into the Champions League and wins domestic cups, and essentially is dismissed for speaking out. A manager at Celtic finds his reputation ruined whereas those individuals who appointed him continue to make errors another day.

The Modern Corporate Football: Responsibility Only for the Coaches

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents corporate governance at work: the elevation of a gilded elite who are infallible, whose decisions remain sacrosanct, whose errors can always be sacked away without explanation. Hire the 3-4-3 coach only to dismiss him for playing excessively that system. Bring in the process guy and then discard him for requiring excessive time. And most importantly show gratitude; for your modest season ticket price rises, for your new summer signings, for the reality that the adults – regardless of their expertise – are in charge.