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Turns out he endured a loss to lower-league opposition. Survive a decisive continental showpiece versus one of the worst Tottenham teams in living memory. He withstood losing at home against West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, the tactical inflexibility, laying waste to some of the club’s most promising academy products, the 32% win rate, labeling his team the poorest in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to engage. If you challenge the sporting director, and you best not miss.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous top-flight right-back in Blackburn’s title-winning 1994-95 season, Amorim came at Jason Wilcox and appears to have missed. The most distracted of readers can see the irony here: a coach who frequently berated his squad for losing individual battles crumbling in the face of the intense pressure and animal charisma of a the Premier League’s most intimidating sporting directors.

In truth, this entire bruising episode seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a whole new light. Perhaps it might have been easy, based on his nine months of experience with the Saints, to view Jason Wilcox as little more than a functionary within the club's structure: an individual who owed his position largely to his close relationship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada as any demonstrable skill. How mistaken everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring United’s feted head coach, as he outmanoeuvred the hapless Dan Ashworth before him, he has demonstrated to be among football's true generals: a tactical intellect that United’s competitors are now justifiably concerned.

The Tactical Clash Regarding Formation & Philosophy

To illustrate, this was Jason Wilcox , after being involved in the leadership that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist the coach in the first place, played a key role in attempting to convince him to ditch his favored formation. Unsurprisingly, these pleas faced pushback. But perhaps such directives hold greater authority when issued by a man with the impeccable soccer background of Jason Wilcox, holder of international appearances and a contributor to a championship team from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he might agree to explain his reasoning publicly. Perhaps at some point questions may arise why Amorim is walking away with a full payout, with no penalty clause activated. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – men like him – function on a plane exceeding our prosaic understanding. If he ever did speak, most likely we would perceive is a series of high-frequency signals and four-dimensional whirring. Wanting is not equivalent to being prepared to comprehend it.

An Ultimate Power In the Throne

Naturally, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. The director is, after all, merely executing the directives of his ultimate superior the billionaire owner, who privately has made very clear his preference for a four-man defense. It is reported, the owner has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for United to embrace data science and metrics. According to ESPN, in an executive meeting early in his investment, he declared that the team's approach to football “shall be determined by this group”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in industry and yachting. Above all he remains incredibly rich, and as we all know, the wealthy are superior: more insightful, sagacious, strategically brilliant, fundamentally better. Whom else could one trust to oversee an enlightened programme of austerity, the building of a new stadium that looks a lot like someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

The New Football Hierarchy: Executives Over Coaches

This is a trend that is becoming prevalent in top-tier of the game. For decades, clubs foolishly delegated big footballing decisions 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 energy to join a club and implement their plan through to completion. Yet how many companies have such individuals set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Far preferable to place the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with impressive professional resumes. Better by far to determine the strategy in the boardroom and hire a coach who will adapt their methods accordingly. If coaches were formerly chefs, they are now more akin to delivery personnel: not really creating the product, yet ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or leaks out of the box.

Nowadays, a coach's role is increasingly not about defining the vision and more about selling it: the receptionist on the front desk, the visible figurehead for a club they have minimal power to influence. Enzo Maresca takes a squad of very young players into the Champions League and secures two medium-sized trophies, and essentially is dismissed for talking. A manager at Celtic sees his standing damaged while the people who appointed him continue to make errors another day.

The Neoliberal Football: Responsibility for the Coaches

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents neoliberalism in action: the rise of a gilded elite who can never be wrong, whose decisions are always sacrosanct, whose errors can invariably be resolved by sacking without justification. Appoint the system coach and then fire them for playing excessively 3-4-3. Hire the process guy and then discard him for requiring excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for the latest summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – however well qualified – remain in control.