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Itranspired the manager endured defeat by Grimsby. He weathered losing a crucial continental showpiece versus one of the worst Spurs sides for many years. He could survive home defeats to West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, his rigid approach, squandering the team's best academy products, a poor winning percentage, labeling his team the worst in Manchester United history. But there was one adversary with whom the Portuguese coach was not permitted to engage. You come at Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, like many a top-flight defender during Blackburn Rovers' title-winning campaign, the coach came at the executive and seems to have failed. The most distracted of readers will notice the paradoxical situation: a manager who often railed his squad for failing in individual battles crumbling in the face of the white heat and formidable presence of one of the Premier League’s most intimidating football executives.

And frankly, this whole painful saga appears to portray the director in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been tempting, based on his brief stint in a similar role at Southampton, to view him as little more than a functionary within the club's structure: an individual who owed his position as much to his friendship with ex-colleague a fellow executive rather than any verifiable talent. How wrong everyone was. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, as he outmanoeuvred the unfortunate Dan Ashworth earlier, he has demonstrated as one of football's true generals: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals are now rightly wary.

The Strategic Conflict Regarding System and Philosophy

To illustrate, this was the director who having been part of the hierarchy that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist Amorim in the first place, was instrumental in attempting to convince Amorim to ditch his beloved 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties were resisted. But perhaps such directives 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 title-winning side decades past.

Maybe eventually he may be persuaded to explain his thought processes publicly. Perhaps at some point he might be asked regarding why the coach is departing with full compensation, without any penalty clause in place. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – men like Jason Wilcox – simply operate at a level beyond our own mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not the same as being ready to receive.

An Supreme Authority In Command

But of course, in training our focus on Jason Wilcox we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. The director is, in reality, merely executing the commands of his superior the billionaire owner, who privately has emphasized his preference for a four-man defense. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also proposed deploying the forward as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to embrace data science and metrics. Per reports, during a leadership summit early in his investment, he announced that the team's approach of play “will be determined in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is a specialist in these intricate football matters, leveraging his previous experience in industry and yachting. Above all he remains immensely wealthy, and as we all know, the wealthy are superior: more perceptive, more wise, strategically brilliant, fundamentally better. Whom else would you trust to oversee an enlightened programme of austerity, the building of a modern arena that appears a lot like an abstract design, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Soccer Hierarchy: Directors Above Managers

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent at the elite levels football. Historically, clubs foolishly entrusted major sporting choices to subordinate staff like managers, scouts – players themselves. Perhaps it was once possible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with a philosophy and energy to join a club and see their vision supported to fruition. Yet how many businesses have such individuals established? How many large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Far preferable to place genuine authority where it belongs: the executive class, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to decide the tactics by the directors and appoint someone who will adapt their offering to suit. If managers were formerly chefs, they have become more like Deliveroo drivers: not really creating the food, yet ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or leaks out to meet standards.

In the meantime, a coach's role has become not about crafting the philosophy and more about marketing it: the receptionist of the operation, the public face for a club they have minimal power to influence. A coach at Chelsea takes a squad of literal children into the Champions League and secures domestic cups, and effectively is dismissed for speaking out. A manager at Celtic sees his standing damaged whereas those individuals who hired him live to blunder another day.

The Neoliberal Game: Accountability Only for the Coaches

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this is simply corporate governance in action: the elevation of a privileged elite who can never be wrong, whose choices are always untouchable, whose mistakes can always be resolved by sacking without justification. Hire the 3-4-3 coach and then dismiss him for using too much that system. Hire the project manager and then discard them for requiring excessive time. And most importantly show gratitude; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for your new player acquisitions, for the reality that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.