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Itranspired the manager could survive a loss to lower-league opposition. Survive an important European final versus a particularly poor Spurs sides in living memory. He withstood losing at home against domestic rivals, finishing 15th, his rigid approach, squandering some of the club’s best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling his team the poorest the club has ever seen. But there was one adversary with whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to tango. You come at Jason Wilcox, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, like many a Premiership defender during Blackburn Rovers' championship campaign, Amorim came at the executive and seems to have failed. The most distracted of readers can see the irony here: a manager who frequently berated at his players for failing in one-on-one duels crumbling in the face of the intense pressure and animal charisma of a England's top division's most intimidating football executives.

In truth, this entire bruising episode seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a whole new light. It may have been tempting, based on his brief stint in a similar role with the Saints, to regard Jason Wilcox as little more than a drudge in the United exoskeleton: an individual whose appointment was due as much to his close relationship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada as any demonstrable skill. How wrong we all were. By masterfully outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless a previous executive earlier, Jason Wilcox has demonstrated as one of the sport’s true generals: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals are now justifiably concerned.

A Tactical Clash Regarding System & Ideology

For example, it was Jason Wilcox who being involved in the hierarchy that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim originally, played a key role in trying to persuade Amorim to abandon his beloved formation. Naturally, these pleas met a certain resistance. However, these judgements carry more weight when delivered from the mouth with the impeccable football pedigree he possesses, holder of three England caps and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he might agree to outline his reasoning to the rest of us. Maybe one day he might be asked why Amorim is departing with a full payout, with no compensation reduction clause activated. The director speaks rarely publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – men like him – function at a level 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 equivalent to being ready to receive.

The Supreme Authority In Command

Naturally, in training our focus on Jason Wilcox we overlook the real power behind the modern United throne. The director is, after all, merely executing the directives of his superior the billionaire owner, who privately has emphasized his desire for a back four. According to reports, the owner has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to embrace analytics and metrics. Per reports, during a leadership summit early in his investment, he announced that the team's approach of play “shall be decided by this group”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is an expert in these intricate football matters, drawing from his background in industry and yachting. Above all he is incredibly rich, and it is known, the rich are the best of us: more perceptive, more wise, strategically brilliant, fundamentally better. Who else could one trust to manage a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the construction of a modern arena that appears similar to an abstract design, the signing of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Football Order: Executives Over Managers

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels football. Historically, teams mistakenly delegated big footballing decisions to subordinate staff such as coaches, talent spotters – players themselves. Maybe previously possible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with a philosophy and drive to go into an organization and see their vision supported to fruition. Yet how many companies have such individuals set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they managed? Better by far to place the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the guys with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to determine the strategy by the directors and appoint someone who can tailor their methods to suit. If managers were formerly chefs, they are now more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not creating the product, yet finally accountable should it be delivered cold or fails of the box.

In the meantime, their job is increasingly less about crafting the philosophy and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative of the operation, the visible figurehead of an organisation they can do little to change. A coach at Chelsea takes a squad of literal children into Europe and secures domestic cups, and essentially is dismissed for speaking out. A manager at Celtic sees his reputation ruined whereas the people who appointed him continue to make errors indefinitely.

A Modern Corporate Game: Responsibility Only for the Coaches

And possibly in a small way this represents corporate governance at work: the elevation of a privileged overclass who can never be wrong, whose decisions remain sacrosanct, whose errors can always be sacked away without justification. Appoint the system coach only to fire him for playing too much that system. Bring in the process guy and then bin him for taking too long. And most importantly show gratitude; for your modest season ticket price rises, for the latest summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – however well qualified – are in charge.