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Turns out Ruben Amorim endured defeat by lower-league opposition. Survive a decisive continental showpiece versus one of the worst Tottenham teams in living memory. He could survive losing at home against domestic rivals, a lowly league position, an unwavering system, undermining some of the club’s most promising homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling the squad the worst the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed a single opponent with whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to engage. You come at the sporting director, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, like many a Premiership right-back in Blackburn’s title-winning 1994-95 season, the coach took on Jason Wilcox and appears to have missed. The most distracted of readers can see the irony here: a manager who often railed his squad for losing one-on-one duels crumbling in the face of the intense pressure and animal charisma of one of England's top division's most intimidating football executives.

And frankly, this whole bruising episode appears to portray the director in a whole new light. It may have been tempting, based on his brief stint in a similar role with the Saints, to view Jason Wilcox as merely a functionary within the club's structure: a man whose appointment was due as much to his friendship with his former boss a fellow executive as any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. By masterfully outsmarting the club's celebrated manager, just as he bested the unfortunate Dan Ashworth earlier, he has proved himself to be among football's true generals: a tactical intellect that United’s mid-table rivals will now be justifiably concerned.

The Tactical Conflict Over Formation and Ideology

To illustrate, this was the director who being involved in the leadership that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist the coach originally, played a key role in trying to persuade him to abandon his beloved 3-4-3. Naturally, these entreaties were resisted. But perhaps these judgements hold greater authority when issued by a man with the unimpeachable soccer background he possesses, holder of three England caps and a role in a title-winning side from 31 years ago.

Perhaps in time he might agree to outline his reasoning to the rest of us. Maybe one day questions may arise why Amorim is departing with a full payout, with no penalty clause activated. The director seldom speaks in public, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – individuals such as Jason Wilcox – function on a plane beyond our own prosaic understanding. Were he to speak, most likely we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not the same as being ready to comprehend it.

The Ultimate Authority In Command

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the modern United throne. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, merely executing the commands of his ultimate line manager the billionaire owner, who privately has emphasized his desire for a four-man defense. According to reports, the owner has also suggested deploying the forward as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for the club to adopt data science and metrics. Per reports, during a leadership summit early in his investment, he declared that United’s style to football “shall be determined by this group”.

After all, Sir Jim is a specialist in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in petrochemicals and sailing. Most importantly he remains incredibly rich, and it is known, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, more wise, more tactically astute, fundamentally superior. Who else could one trust to manage an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the building of a new stadium that looks a lot like an abstract design, the signing of a new striker?

A Modern Soccer Order: Directors Over Managers

This is a trend that is becoming prevalent in top-tier of the game. Historically, teams mistakenly entrusted major sporting choices to subordinate staff like managers, scouts – even footballers. Maybe previously feasible for a young, visionary coach with a philosophy and drive to go into a club and implement their plan through to completion. But how many companies have such individuals set up? What number of large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Better by far to invest the real power where it belongs: the executive class, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with the jaw-dropping LinkedIn profiles. It is wiser to decide the tactics by the directors and hire someone who can tailor their methods to suit. If managers were once chefs, they have become more akin to delivery personnel: not creating the product, but still ultimately answerable if it arrives poorly or leaks out to meet standards.

Nowadays, their job is increasingly not about crafting the philosophy and more about marketing 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 Europe and secures two medium-sized trophies, and effectively is dismissed for speaking out. A manager at Celtic sees his reputation ruined while the people who appointed him live to blunder indefinitely.

A Modern Corporate Football: Responsibility for the Coaches

And possibly in a small way this is simply corporate governance at work: the rise of a privileged overclass who are infallible, whose choices are always sacrosanct, whose errors can always be resolved by sacking without justification. Appoint the system coach only to fire them for playing excessively that system. Hire the project manager and later discard them for taking excessive time. And above all show gratitude; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for your new summer signings, for the reality that the adults – however well qualified – are in charge.