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Tbecame clear the manager could survive defeat by lower-league opposition. He weathered losing a crucial European final versus one of the worst Tottenham teams in living memory. He could survive losing at home against domestic rivals, a lowly league position, his rigid approach, undermining some of the club’s most promising homegrown talent, a poor winning percentage, labeling his team the poorest the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to engage. You come at Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, similar to numerous top-flight right-back during Blackburn Rovers' title-winning campaign, the coach took on Jason Wilcox and seems to have failed. Even the most distracted of readers will notice the irony here: a manager who frequently berated at his players for failing in individual battles crumbling in the face of the white heat and animal charisma of a the Premier League’s most feared sporting directors.

And frankly, this whole painful saga appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a whole new light. It may have been easy, given his nine months in a similar role at Southampton, to regard him as merely a drudge within the club's structure: a man who owed his position as much to his friendship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada rather than any demonstrable skill. How mistaken we all were. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate Dan Ashworth before him, Jason Wilcox has demonstrated as one of football's strategic masterminds: a strategic mind of which the club's mid-table rivals are now rightly wary.

The Tactical Conflict Regarding Formation & Ideology

For example, this was the director , after having been part of the leadership that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate Amorim in the first place, was instrumental in attempting to convince Amorim to ditch his favored 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties met a certain resistance. However, such directives carry more weight when issued from the mouth with the impeccable soccer background of Jason Wilcox, holder of international appearances and a role in a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time Jason Wilcox might agree to outline his reasoning to the rest of us. Perhaps at some point he might be asked why Amorim is departing with full compensation, without any compensation reduction clause in place. The director speaks rarely publicly, for excellent reasons. The real thinkers of this sport – men like Jason Wilcox – function at a level beyond our own mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, probably we would perceive is a series of ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not quite the same as being prepared to comprehend it.

An Ultimate Authority Behind the Throne

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, merely executing the directives of his line manager the billionaire owner, who in private has made very clear his desire for a four-man defense. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also proposed deploying the forward in a wing-back role. The owner is eager for United to adopt analytics and analytics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting early in his minority ownership, he announced that United’s style of play “will be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is an expert in this technical footballing stuff, drawing from his background in industry and sailing. Above all he is incredibly rich, and as we all know, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, sagacious, strategically brilliant, simply superior. Who else could one trust to manage an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a modern arena that looks a lot like someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

The Modern Soccer Order: Directors Above Managers

This represents a shift we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels of the game. Historically, clubs foolishly entrusted big footballing decisions to low-level employees such as coaches, talent spotters – even footballers. Maybe previously feasible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with ideas and energy to join an organization and implement their plan through to completion. But how many companies have these guys established? What number of large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Better by far to invest the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to determine the tactics in the boardroom and hire a coach who can tailor their offering accordingly. If managers were once chefs, they have become more akin to delivery personnel: not creating the product, yet finally accountable if it arrives cold or leaks out of the box.

Nowadays, their job has become less about crafting the philosophy and more about selling it: the receptionist of the operation, the public face for a club they have minimal power to change. A coach at Chelsea leads a team of very young players into Europe and secures domestic cups, and essentially is dismissed for speaking out. Wilfried Nancy sees his reputation ruined whereas those individuals who appointed him continue to make errors another day.

The Neoliberal Game: Accountability for the Few

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this is simply corporate governance in action: the elevation of a gilded elite who are infallible, whose choices remain untouchable, whose errors can invariably be sacked away without explanation. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach and then dismiss them for playing excessively 3-4-3. Hire the project manager and later bin him for taking excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for the incremental increases in ticket costs, for the latest summer signings, for the fact that the grownups – however well qualified – remain in control.