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Turns out Ruben Amorim endured defeat by Grimsby. Survive losing a crucial continental showpiece versus a particularly poor Spurs sides in living memory. He withstood losing at home against domestic rivals, a lowly league position, his rigid approach, laying waste to some of the club’s best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling the squad the poorest in Manchester United history. But there was one adversary with whom Ruben Amorim was not permitted to dance. If you challenge the sporting director, you had better succeed.

Regrettably, like many a Premiership right-back in Blackburn’s title-winning 1994-95 season, Amorim came at the executive and seems to have missed. Even the most distracted of readers will notice the irony here: a coach who frequently berated at his players for failing in one-on-one duels succumbing in the face of the white heat and formidable presence of one of England's top division's most intimidating sporting directors.

In truth, this whole painful saga seems to paint the director in a whole new light. It may have been tempting, based on his nine months of experience at Southampton, to view Jason Wilcox as merely a functionary in the United exoskeleton: a man who owed his position as much to his friendship with his former boss a fellow executive rather than any verifiable talent. How wrong everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, just as he bested the hapless Dan Ashworth earlier, Jason Wilcox has proved himself to be among football's true generals: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals are now rightly wary.

The Strategic Clash Regarding System & Ideology

For example, it was Jason Wilcox who being involved in the leadership that appointed the 3-4-3 fundamentalist the coach originally, was instrumental in trying to persuade him to abandon his beloved formation. Naturally, these entreaties faced pushback. But perhaps these judgements hold greater authority when delivered by a man with the impeccable soccer background he possesses, a veteran of three England caps and a role in a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he may be persuaded to explain his reasoning publicly. Perhaps at some point questions may arise why Amorim is walking away with a full payout, with no compensation reduction clause activated. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers in football – individuals such as him – simply operate at a level beyond our own prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, probably we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and four-dimensional whirring. Desiring an explanation is not equivalent to being prepared to comprehend it.

An Supreme Power Behind Command

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. The director is, after all, simply carrying out the commands of his ultimate line manager 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 as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for the club to embrace data science and metrics. Per reports, in an executive meeting early in his minority ownership, he declared that United’s style to football “will be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is an expert in this technical football matters, drawing from his previous experience in petrochemicals and sailing. Most importantly he is immensely wealthy, and as we all know, the wealthy are the best of us: more perceptive, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply better. Who else would you trust to oversee an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a modern arena that looks similar to an abstract design, the signing of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Soccer Hierarchy: Directors Over Managers

This represents a shift we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels of the game. Historically, teams mistakenly delegated major sporting choices to low-level employees such as coaches, talent spotters – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, visionary coach with a philosophy and drive to go into a club and see their vision supported to fruition. But how many businesses have such individuals set up? How many mass redundancies have they managed? Far preferable to place the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to determine the strategy in the boardroom and appoint someone who will adapt their methods accordingly. If managers were once chefs, they are now more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not really creating the product, but still finally accountable if it arrives poorly or leaks out to meet standards.

Nowadays, a coach's role has become less about crafting the philosophy and more about selling it: the receptionist of the operation, the visible figurehead for a club they have minimal power to influence. A coach at Chelsea takes a squad of very young players into the Champions League and secures domestic cups, and effectively is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy sees his standing damaged while those individuals who hired him live to blunder another day.

A Modern Corporate Game: Accountability Only for the Coaches

And perhaps in a small way this is simply corporate governance at work: the elevation of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose decisions remain sacrosanct, whose errors can always be sacked away without justification. Hire the system coach and then fire them for playing too much that system. Bring in the project manager and then bin them for requiring excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest season ticket price rises, for your new summer signings, for the fact that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – are in charge.