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Transpired Ruben Amorim could survive losing against lower-league opposition. Survive an important continental showpiece against a particularly poor Spurs sides for many years. He could survive home defeats to West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, laying waste to the team's best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, labeling the squad the worst in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed one adversary against whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to tango. If you challenge the sporting director, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous Premiership defender during Blackburn Rovers' championship campaign, the coach took on Jason Wilcox and seems to have failed. Even the most casual observer will notice the paradoxical situation: a manager who often railed at his players for losing one-on-one duels crumbling when confronted by the intense pressure and formidable presence of a England's top division's most feared football executives.

And frankly, this entire bruising episode appears to portray the director in a whole new light. Perhaps it might have been tempting, based on his brief stint of experience with the Saints, to regard him as merely a drudge within the club's structure: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his friendship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada rather than any verifiable talent. How mistaken we all were. In brilliantly outmanoeuvring the club's celebrated manager, just as he bested the hapless a previous executive before him, he has demonstrated to be among football's strategic masterminds: a strategic mind that United’s mid-table rivals are now justifiably concerned.

A Tactical Conflict Regarding Formation & Philosophy

To illustrate, it was the director who being involved in the hierarchy that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist Amorim originally, was instrumental in attempting to convince him to ditch his favored formation. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties were resisted. But perhaps these judgements carry more weight when delivered from the mouth of a man the impeccable football pedigree he possesses, holder of international appearances and a contributor to a championship team 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 publicly, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – men like Jason Wilcox – function on a plane beyond our own mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, most likely all we would hear would be ultrasonic blips and four-dimensional whirring. Desiring an explanation is not the same as being ready to receive.

The Ultimate Authority Behind Command

But of course, by focusing our attention on the sporting director we overlook the real power behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, merely executing the commands of his superior the billionaire owner, who privately has made very clear his preference for a back four. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for the club to adopt analytics and analytics. Per reports, in an executive meeting soon after his minority ownership, he declared that United’s style to football “shall be determined in this room”.

After all, Sir Jim is an expert in these intricate footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in industry and sailing. Most importantly he remains immensely wealthy, and it is known, the rich are the best of us: more insightful, more wise, more tactically astute, fundamentally better. Who else could one trust to oversee an enlightened programme of cost-cutting, the construction of a new stadium that appears a lot like someone’s leftover knitting, the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko?

A Modern Football Order: Directors Above Coaches

This represents a shift we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels of the game. For decades, teams mistakenly entrusted big footballing decisions to low-level employees like managers, scouts – players themselves. Perhaps it was once feasible for an up-and-coming, innovative manager with a philosophy and energy to join a club and implement their plan through to completion. But how many companies have these guys set up? How many mass redundancies have they overseen? Better by far to place the real power where it belongs: the leadership tier, the open-necked shirt brigade, the guys with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. It is wiser to determine 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 delivery personnel: not really creating the food, but still finally accountable should it be delivered cold or leaks out to meet standards.

In the meantime, a coach's role is increasingly not about defining the vision and more about selling it: the receptionist of the operation, the visible figurehead of an organisation they have minimal power to change. A coach at Chelsea leads a team of very young players into Europe and wins domestic cups, and effectively is dismissed for talking. A manager at Celtic sees his reputation ruined whereas the people who hired him live to blunder another day.

The Modern Corporate Game: Accountability for the Coaches

And perhaps in a small way this represents corporate governance in action: the elevation of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose decisions are always untouchable, whose mistakes can always be sacked away without explanation. Hire the 3-4-3 coach and then fire them for playing too much 3-4-3. Bring in the process guy and later discard them for taking excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for the incremental season ticket price rises, for your new player acquisitions, for the fact that the grownups – however well qualified – are in charge.