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Turns out he could survive defeat by Grimsby. Survive an important European final versus a particularly poor Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive home defeats against West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, laying waste to some of the club’s most promising homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling the squad the poorest in Manchester United history. Yet, there existed a single opponent against whom the Portuguese coach would not be allowed to tango. If you challenge Jason Wilcox, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, 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. Even the most casual observer can see the paradoxical situation: a coach who often railed his squad for failing in individual battles crumbling when confronted by the white heat and formidable presence of one of England's top division's most feared sporting directors.

In truth, this whole painful saga seems to paint Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. It may have been tempting, given his brief stint in a similar role at Southampton, to regard him as merely a drudge in the United exoskeleton: an individual whose appointment was due largely to his close relationship with ex-colleague Omar Berrada as any demonstrable skill. How wrong we all were. In brilliantly outsmarting the club's celebrated manager, just as he bested the unfortunate a previous executive earlier, he has proved himself as one of football's true generals: a strategic mind of which United’s competitors will now be justifiably concerned.

The Tactical Clash Regarding Formation & Ideology

To illustrate, this was Jason Wilcox who having been part of the hierarchy that hired the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach in the first place, was instrumental in trying to persuade him to ditch his favored 3-4-3. Unsurprisingly, these entreaties faced pushback. But perhaps such directives hold greater authority when delivered from the mouth with the unimpeachable soccer background he possesses, a veteran of international appearances and a role in a championship team decades past.

Perhaps in time Jason Wilcox might agree to explain his thought processes to the rest of us. Maybe one day questions may arise regarding why the coach is departing with a full payout, with no penalty clause activated. But Jason Wilcox seldom speaks in public, and with very good reason. The real thinkers of this sport – men like him – function at a level beyond our own mundane comprehension. If he ever did speak, probably all we would hear would be high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not equivalent to being ready to receive.

An Ultimate Power Behind the Throne

Naturally, in training our focus on the sporting director we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. The director is, in reality, simply carrying out the commands of his line manager the billionaire owner, who privately has emphasized his preference for a four-man defense. According to reports, Ratcliffe has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for United to adopt analytics and analytics. Per reports, in an executive meeting early in his investment, he announced that United’s style of play “shall be decided in this room”.

Ultimately, Ratcliffe is a specialist in this technical footballing stuff, leveraging his background in petrochemicals and yachting. Above all he is incredibly rich, and as we all know, the wealthy are the best of us: more insightful, more wise, strategically brilliant, fundamentally better. Who else could one trust to manage an enlightened programme of austerity, the building of a new stadium that appears similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the signing of a new striker?

The Modern Football Hierarchy: Directors Above Coaches

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels football. Historically, clubs foolishly delegated major sporting choices to subordinate staff such as coaches, talent spotters – players themselves. Maybe previously feasible for an up-and-coming, visionary coach with ideas and energy to join a club and see their vision through to completion. Yet how many businesses have these guys established? How many large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Far preferable to invest the real power where it rightly belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive professional resumes. It is wiser to determine the strategy by the directors and hire someone who will adapt their offering to suit. If managers were once chefs, they are now more like Deliveroo drivers: not really creating the product, yet ultimately answerable should it be delivered poorly or leaks out of the box.

In the meantime, a coach's role is increasingly not about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative of the operation, the visible figurehead for a club they can do little to change. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into Europe and wins domestic cups, and effectively gets sacked for speaking out. A manager at Celtic sees his reputation ruined while the people who hired him continue to make errors indefinitely.

A Modern Corporate Game: Accountability for the Few

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents neoliberalism in action: the elevation of a gilded elite who can never be wrong, whose choices remain untouchable, whose errors can always be resolved by sacking without explanation. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach and then dismiss him for using too much 3-4-3. Hire the project manager and then bin them for requiring excessive time. And above all show gratitude; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for the latest player acquisitions, for the fact that the adults – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.