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Turns out Ruben Amorim could survive a loss to Grimsby. He weathered an important continental showpiece versus a particularly poor Spurs sides for many years. He could survive losing at home against West Ham and Wolves, a lowly league position, the tactical inflexibility, squandering the team's best academy products, the 32% win rate, calling the squad the worst the club has ever seen. But there was one adversary with whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to tango. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, like many a Premiership defender in Blackburn’s title-winning 1994-95 season, the coach came at the executive and seems to have missed. Even the most casual observer will notice the irony here: a manager who often railed his squad for losing individual battles succumbing when confronted by the intense pressure and formidable presence of one of the Premier League’s most intimidating football executives.

And frankly, this entire painful saga seems to paint the director in a whole new light. It may have been tempting, based on his brief stint in a similar role at Southampton, to view him as little more than a drudge in the United exoskeleton: a man whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada as any verifiable talent. How mistaken we all were. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, just as he bested the unfortunate a previous executive before him, he has proved himself to be among football's strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that United’s competitors are now rightly wary.

A Tactical Clash Over Formation & Ideology

For example, it was the director who having been part of the hierarchy that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach in the first place, was instrumental in trying to persuade him to abandon his favored 3-4-3. Naturally, these pleas were resisted. However, such directives hold greater authority when delivered from the mouth with the unimpeachable soccer background he possesses, holder of three England caps and a contributor to a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually he might agree to explain his thought processes publicly. Maybe one day he might be asked why Amorim is walking away with full compensation, without any compensation reduction clause activated. The director speaks rarely publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – men like Jason Wilcox – simply operate at a level exceeding our mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, probably all we would hear would be ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not quite the same as being ready to receive.

The Supreme Authority Behind Command

Naturally, in training our focus on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the club's current leadership. The director is, after all, merely executing the commands of his ultimate line manager the billionaire owner, who in private has made very clear his desire for a back four. According to reports, the owner has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to adopt analytics and metrics. Per reports, during a leadership summit early in his investment, he announced that United’s style of play “will be determined in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is an expert in these intricate football matters, drawing from his previous experience in industry and sailing. Most importantly he remains incredibly rich, and it is known, the wealthy are the best of us: more insightful, more wise, more tactically astute, fundamentally superior. Whom 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 a new striker?

The New Soccer Order: Directors Over Coaches

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels of the game. Historically, teams mistakenly entrusted big footballing decisions to subordinate staff such as coaches, scouts – players themselves. Maybe previously feasible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with a philosophy and drive to join a club and see their vision supported to fruition. But how many companies have such individuals set up? How many mass redundancies have they overseen? Far preferable to place genuine authority where it belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive professional resumes. Better by far to determine the tactics by the directors and hire someone who will adapt their methods to suit. If coaches were formerly chefs, they are now more like delivery personnel: not really creating the food, but still ultimately answerable should it be delivered cold or fails to meet standards.

Nowadays, a coach's role has become not about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative of the operation, the visible figurehead for a club they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into the Champions League and secures two medium-sized trophies, and essentially gets sacked for speaking out. A manager at Celtic sees his reputation ruined while those individuals who hired him live to blunder indefinitely.

A Modern Corporate Game: Accountability for the Few

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents neoliberalism in action: the elevation of a privileged overclass who are infallible, whose decisions remain sacrosanct, whose errors can always be sacked away without justification. Hire the 3-4-3 coach and then fire them for playing too much that system. Hire the process guy and later bin them for requiring excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for your new player acquisitions, for the fact that the adults – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.