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Transpired the manager endured a loss to lower-league opposition. He weathered losing a crucial continental showpiece versus one of the worst Tottenham teams for many years. He withstood home defeats to West Ham and Wolves, finishing 15th, an unwavering system, laying waste to some of the club’s best academy products, the 32% win rate, labeling the squad the poorest the club has ever seen. Yet, there existed a single opponent against whom the Portuguese coach was not permitted to engage. If you challenge the sporting director, you had better succeed.

Unfortunately, similar to numerous top-flight defender in Blackburn’s title-winning campaign, Amorim came at the executive and seems 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 succumbing in the face of the intense pressure and formidable presence of a England's top division's most intimidating football executives.

In truth, this entire bruising episode appears to portray the director in a whole new light. It may have been easy, given his brief stint of experience at Southampton, to view him as little more than a functionary in the United exoskeleton: an individual whose appointment was due as much to his friendship with ex-colleague a fellow executive rather than any demonstrable skill. How wrong everyone was. By masterfully outmanoeuvring United’s feted manager, just as he bested the unfortunate a previous executive earlier, he has proved himself as one of the sport’s strategic masterminds: a tactical intellect that the club's competitors are now justifiably concerned.

A Strategic Clash Over Formation and Philosophy

For example, it was Jason Wilcox , after being involved in the hierarchy that appointed the rigid 3-4-3 advocate the coach in the first place, was instrumental in trying to persuade Amorim to ditch his favored formation. Naturally, these entreaties met a certain resistance. But perhaps such directives carry more weight when issued by a man with the impeccable football pedigree he possesses, holder of international appearances and a role in a championship team from 31 years ago.

Maybe eventually he may be persuaded to outline his reasoning publicly. Maybe one day he might be asked regarding why the coach is walking away with full compensation, without any penalty clause activated. The director seldom speaks in public, and with very good reason. The real thinkers in football – men like him – simply operate on a plane exceeding our mundane comprehension. Were he to speak, most likely all we would hear is a series of high-frequency signals and complex calculations. Desiring an explanation is not equivalent to being ready to receive.

The Supreme Power Behind the Throne

But of course, in training our focus on the sporting director we overlook the true genius behind the club's current leadership. The director is, after all, simply carrying out the directives of his superior the billionaire owner, who in private has emphasized his preference for a four-man defense. It is reported, Ratcliffe has also suggested playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. Ratcliffe is keen for United to embrace data science and analytics. Per reports, in an executive meeting early in his minority ownership, he declared that United’s style of play “shall be determined in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is a specialist in this technical football matters, drawing from his background in industry and yachting. Above all he remains immensely wealthy, and it is known, the rich are superior: more insightful, sagacious, more tactically astute, fundamentally superior. Who else would you trust to oversee a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the building of a modern arena that appears a lot like an abstract design, the acquisition of a new striker?

The New Soccer Hierarchy: Directors Above Managers

This is a trend we are increasingly seeing at the elite levels of the game. For decades, teams mistakenly delegated big footballing decisions to subordinate staff like managers, talent spotters – even footballers. Maybe previously feasible for a young, visionary coach with a philosophy and drive to join an organization and implement their plan supported to fruition. But how many companies have these guys established? What number of mass redundancies have they managed? Better by far to invest the real power where it belongs: the executive class, the casually dressed executives, the individuals with impressive LinkedIn profiles. Better by far to decide the strategy by the directors and hire a coach who can tailor their methods to suit. If coaches were once chefs, they have become more like delivery personnel: not really responsible for the food, yet finally accountable should it be delivered poorly or fails of the box.

In the meantime, a coach's role is increasingly less about defining the vision and more about marketing it: the front-facing representative of the operation, the public face of an organisation they have minimal power to change. Enzo Maresca leads a team of very young players into the Champions League and wins 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 indefinitely.

The Modern Corporate Game: Responsibility for the Few

And possibly in a small way this represents corporate governance in action: the elevation of a gilded overclass who are infallible, whose choices are always untouchable, whose mistakes can always be resolved by sacking without justification. Appoint the 3-4-3 coach only to fire them for playing excessively that system. Bring in the process guy and then discard him for requiring too long. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest increases in ticket costs, for your new summer signings, for the reality that the grownups – regardless of their expertise – remain in control.