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Transpired he was able to withstand a loss to Grimsby. Survive a decisive European final against one of the worst Tottenham teams in living memory. He could survive home defeats to domestic rivals, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, squandering some of the club’s best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling the squad the worst the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed one adversary with whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to dance. If you challenge the sporting director, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, like many a top-flight defender during Blackburn Rovers' championship 1994-95 season, the coach came at Jason Wilcox and appears to have failed. The most distracted of readers will notice the paradoxical situation: a manager who frequently berated at his players for failing in one-on-one duels succumbing in the face of the white heat and animal charisma of a England's top division's most intimidating football executives.

In truth, this whole painful saga appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a whole new light. It may have been tempting, based on his brief stint of experience with the Saints, to regard Jason Wilcox as little more than a drudge within the club's structure: a man who owed his position as much to his close relationship with his former boss Omar Berrada rather than any verifiable talent. How mistaken everyone was. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, just as he bested the unfortunate Dan Ashworth earlier, Jason Wilcox has demonstrated as one of the sport’s true generals: a strategic mind of which United’s mid-table rivals will now be rightly wary.

A Tactical Clash Regarding System and Philosophy

To illustrate, this was the director who having been part of the hierarchy that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach originally, played a key role in trying to persuade Amorim to ditch his beloved 3-4-3. Naturally, these pleas faced pushback. However, such directives hold greater authority when delivered from the mouth with the impeccable soccer background he possesses, holder of three England caps and a contributor to a title-winning side decades past.

Perhaps in time he might agree to outline his thought processes publicly. Maybe one day he might be asked regarding why the coach is departing with full compensation, with no compensation reduction clause activated. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The true intellectuals of this sport – individuals such as him – simply operate on a plane beyond our own prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive is a series of high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Wanting is not quite equivalent to being ready to receive.

The Supreme Authority In the Throne

Naturally, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, after all, simply carrying out the commands of his superior Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who in private has made very clear his preference for a four-man defense. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for the club to embrace data science and analytics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit early in his minority ownership, he announced that the team's approach to football “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 rich are the best of us: more insightful, more wise, strategically brilliant, simply superior. Whom else could one trust to oversee a strategic plan of austerity, the construction of a modern arena that looks a lot like an abstract design, the acquisition of a new striker?

The New Football Hierarchy: Directors Over Coaches

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent in top-tier of the game. Historically, clubs foolishly delegated big footballing decisions to low-level employees like managers, talent spotters – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, visionary coach with a philosophy and energy to join an organization and see their vision through to completion. But how many companies have such individuals established? How many mass redundancies have they managed? Far preferable to invest genuine authority where it rightly belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with impressive professional resumes. It is wiser to decide the tactics in the boardroom and hire someone who can tailor their offering accordingly. If managers were formerly chefs, they are now more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not really responsible for the food, but still ultimately answerable should it be delivered cold or fails of the box.

In the meantime, their job has become less about defining the vision and more about selling it: the receptionist on the front desk, the visible figurehead of an organisation they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of literal children into the Champions League and secures two medium-sized trophies, and effectively is dismissed for talking. Wilfried Nancy sees his standing damaged whereas those individuals who appointed him continue to make errors another day.

A Neoliberal Football: Accountability Only for the Few

And possibly in a small way this represents neoliberalism at work: the elevation of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose choices remain untouchable, whose mistakes can always be sacked away without justification. Hire the system coach and then dismiss him for playing too much that system. Hire the project manager and later discard him for requiring excessive time. And most importantly show gratitude; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for the latest summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – are in charge.