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Transpired he could survive a loss to Grimsby. Survive losing a crucial European final versus one of the worst Tottenham teams in living memory. He withstood home defeats against domestic rivals, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, squandering the team's most promising homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, calling his team the poorest the club has ever seen. But there was a single opponent against 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 title-winning 1994-95 season, the coach came at Jason Wilcox and appears to have failed. The most distracted of readers will notice the irony here: a coach who frequently berated his squad for losing one-on-one duels succumbing in the face of the white heat and animal charisma of one of the Premier League’s most feared football executives.

And frankly, this whole painful saga appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been tempting, given his brief stint in a similar role at Southampton, to regard Jason Wilcox as little more than a drudge in the United exoskeleton: an individual who owed his position largely to his friendship with his former boss Omar Berrada rather than any verifiable talent. How mistaken everyone was. By masterfully outsmarting United’s feted manager, just as he bested the unfortunate a previous executive earlier, Jason Wilcox has proved himself as one of football's strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals will now be rightly wary.

The Strategic Conflict Regarding Formation and Philosophy

To illustrate, it was Jason Wilcox , after having been part of the leadership that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach in the first place, played a key role in trying to persuade Amorim to abandon his beloved 3-4-3. Naturally, these entreaties met a certain resistance. But perhaps these judgements carry more weight when delivered by a man with the unimpeachable soccer background he possesses, holder of international appearances and a role in a title-winning side decades past.

Maybe eventually Jason Wilcox might agree to outline his reasoning to the rest of us. Perhaps at some point questions may arise why Amorim is walking away with a full payout, without any penalty clause in place. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The true intellectuals of this sport – men like him – simply operate at a level beyond our own prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive is a series of high-frequency signals and four-dimensional whirring. Wanting is not the same as being ready to comprehend it.

An Ultimate Authority Behind the Throne

Naturally, by focusing our attention on Jason Wilcox we overlook the real power behind the modern United throne. The director is, after all, simply carrying out the commands of his superior the billionaire owner, who privately has made very clear his desire for a back four. It is reported, the owner has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for United to adopt data science and analytics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit soon after his minority ownership, he declared that the team's approach of play “shall be decided by this group”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is an expert in these intricate football matters, drawing from his previous experience in industry and yachting. Most importantly he is immensely wealthy, and it is known, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, more wise, more tactically astute, fundamentally superior. Whom else could one trust to oversee an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the building of a new stadium that appears similar to an abstract design, the signing of a new striker?

A New Soccer Hierarchy: Directors Over Coaches

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing in top-tier of the game. Historically, teams mistakenly entrusted big footballing decisions to subordinate staff like managers, talent spotters – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with a philosophy and energy to go into a club and implement their plan through to completion. But how many companies have such individuals established? What number of large-scale layoffs have they managed? Far preferable to invest the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with the jaw-dropping LinkedIn profiles. Better by far to determine the strategy in the boardroom and hire a coach who will adapt their offering to suit. If managers were once chefs, they are now more like delivery personnel: not really creating the product, but still ultimately answerable if it arrives cold or leaks out to meet standards.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly not about crafting the philosophy and more about marketing it: the receptionist of the operation, the public face for a club they have minimal power to influence. A coach at Chelsea takes a squad of literal children into Europe and secures domestic cups, and essentially gets sacked for talking. Wilfried Nancy sees his standing damaged while the people who hired him continue to make errors another day.

The Neoliberal Football: Accountability for the Few

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents corporate governance in action: the rise of a gilded elite who are infallible, whose decisions remain untouchable, whose mistakes can invariably be sacked away without explanation. Hire the 3-4-3 coach only to fire him for playing excessively that system. Bring in the process guy and then bin them for taking too long. And most importantly be grateful; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for your new summer signings, for the fact that the adults – however well qualified – remain in control.