How good was David Beckham's form?
By this point, the question almost answered itself.
He had been one of the most consistent and influential players not only in the Premier League, but across Europe's major leagues. In barely a year at New Manchester United, Beckham had convinced almost everyone that his move back into central midfield was far more than an experiment. As a deep-lying organiser, he had shown that he could dictate matches for one of Europe's strongest sides, and some commentators were already placing him among the finest midfielders of his generation.
His transformation had been just as successful commercially.
The number 23 shirt continued to sell in enormous quantities, while the DB23 brand had become one of the most recognisable names in sport. Combined with New Manchester United's increasingly sophisticated commercial operation, Beckham's earnings had risen to the very top tier of world sport.
On the pitch, his achievements since arriving in Manchester were equally remarkable. He had captained a newly promoted side to the Premier League title, helped them retain the UEFA Cup and then led them through an outstanding start to their first Champions League campaign.
Only his international career stood in sharp contrast.
England had never found the same version of Beckham that New Manchester United saw every week. After months of frustration, criticism and tactical dissatisfaction, he had finally retired from international football.
Then England lost two consecutive World Cup qualifiers.
Suddenly, almost everyone wanted him back.
With qualification for the 2006 World Cup already looking precarious, supporters and journalists who had criticised Beckham only weeks earlier began demanding his return.
Eriksson publicly described Beckham as one of England's most important players and argued that his performances deserved a fairer assessment. He insisted that Beckham remained entirely capable of producing his best football for the national side.
Several England players were equally supportive. Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard were among those who welcomed the possibility of his return, with some describing his experience and leadership as something England badly missed.
And the better Beckham played for New Manchester United, the louder the calls became.
As the next international break approached, Eriksson delayed finalising his squad for one very simple reason.
He was waiting for Beckham.
At Newton Heath, meanwhile, Ethan unexpectedly called a meeting.
The club normally held a dinner once a month and a formal meeting every fortnight, so everyone immediately suspected that something important had happened.
Ethan looked around the conference room and smiled.
"First, some good news."
The room quietened.
"I've reached an agreement with Sports Minister Chad Yeager. Andy Walsh will continue as our chief executive, but he'll also take up a position as vice-chairman of the FA and assist with its administration."
The announcement surprised almost everyone in the room.
Walsh had already been informed, so he merely sat there smiling. The others understood the significance immediately.
Figures such as Manchester United's David Gill and Arsenal's David Dein already held influential positions within English football's governing structure. Walsh being invited into a senior FA role was another sign that New Manchester United could no longer be treated as an ambitious newcomer.
They had become one of the country's major clubs.
Everyone in the room also understood why Walsh had been chosen rather than Ethan.
Given Ethan's position as owner and the wider attention surrounding him, taking the role personally would have created unnecessary complications. Walsh, however, had worked alongside Ethan from the club's earliest days and understood his thinking better than almost anyone.
If Walsh spoke in FA meetings, people would know roughly where New Manchester United stood.
The vice-chairman's office did not carry unlimited authority. Even David Dein, for all his influence, could only affect certain areas of FA business. But the appointment still gave the Red Rebels a formal voice inside the organisation.
There were larger changes coming as well.
According to what Yeager had told Ethan, Geoff Thompson was expected to leave the chairmanship. His successor would be chosen through a new process involving English football's clubs, with applications opened to qualified candidates.
One condition had already been established: anyone who had held an official club position within the previous twelve months would be ineligible.
The intention was to limit direct conflicts of interest.
That immediately ruled out several obvious candidates, including David Gill, David Dein and Peter Kenyon.
At the same time, the FA itself was preparing for a broader restructuring.
Responsibilities would be divided more clearly, with dedicated commercial, football and youth-development departments. The new youth-development division in particular would be responsible for establishing and maintaining a coherent national pathway, while also working directly with government where necessary.
The existing youth-development staff would form the foundation of the department, but personnel remained a major problem. There simply were not enough experienced people capable of overseeing reform on the scale being discussed.
After several rounds of meetings, Ethan proposed Tony Carr, the highly respected head of West Ham United's academy, to lead the new department.
For the technical side, he recommended former Manchester United youth coach Eric Harrison as an adviser.
Ethan also asked Moniz and Meulensteen to approach Henk ten Cate about contributing to the programme. The idea was not to copy New Manchester United's academy wholesale, but to build a system suited to England's own football culture, geography and player pool, with particular attention paid to the technical education of young players.
Tony Carr was already one of the most respected figures in English youth football. Ethan had spoken with him during the earlier academy initiative, and they had found themselves largely in agreement. Carr respected what New Manchester United had built at Newton Heath, while Ethan valued Carr's understanding of the English game from grassroots level upwards.
For the commercial department, the plan was different.
A recruitment firm would identify several experienced candidates from relevant industries. Each would then be asked to produce a detailed proposal for how the FA and the lower reaches of the English football pyramid could develop commercially over the coming years.
Those proposals would be assessed jointly by government representatives, football administrators and commercial specialists. The strongest candidate would then be appointed and given the opportunity to refine the plan before implementation.
Competition administration would also be reviewed.
One proposal already raised by Premier League clubs concerned the fixture calendar, particularly the possibility of introducing a winter break more in line with other major European leagues. Supporters of the idea argued that England's relentless festive schedule placed domestic clubs at a disadvantage in European competition.
But introducing a winter break would affect almost every part of the football calendar, so nobody expected an immediate decision.
The more urgent task was appointing people with genuine expertise to run the relevant departments.
Ethan had made his own position clear during his earlier conversations with Yeager.
"The FA shouldn't exist to make money for itself, and it shouldn't become a battleground for personal influence. Its job is to support the clubs, protect the wider football pyramid and build a proper development structure. If it does those things well, English football as a whole will benefit."
After several days of discussions, Yeager had largely accepted that argument. Other government officials and club representatives had also responded positively, while Carr and several other respected figures had expressed a willingness to become involved.
For the first time, Ethan could see the outline of a more coherent future for English football.
But any genuine transformation would take years.
England had a much more immediate problem.
They still had to qualify for the 2006 World Cup.
Missing the tournament would have consequences far beyond a few disappointing results. England had ambitions to host major international sporting events in the future, and another collapse by the national team would intensify scrutiny throughout the game.
For now, the loudest public demand was simple.
Bring Beckham back.
"I've spoken to Yeager and Eriksson," Ethan told Beckham during the meeting. "They both want you back with England."
As club captain, Beckham was present alongside vice-captain Curtis and John Terry, one of the senior figures in the dressing room.
Curtis and Terry needed little encouragement to join in.
They wanted him back too.
Ethan looked directly at Beckham.
"I know why you retired, David. I understand it. But English football is at a turning point now. A lot of people are trying to push things in a better direction, and missing the World Cup could create enough chaos to derail some of that progress."
Beckham remained silent.
Ethan continued.
"I've spoken to both Yeager and Eriksson. Eriksson says that if you return, he'll change the midfield structure. He wants to use you centrally, in the role you've been playing here, and build the side around your ability to control the game."
It was a major concession.
Perhaps desperation had finally forced Eriksson's hand.
His own position had deteriorated badly after the Faria Alam scandal and England's poor results. Bringing Beckham back was therefore both a tactical decision and a significant gamble.
If it worked, England might recover their qualifying campaign and much of the pressure surrounding Eriksson would ease.
If it failed, there would be very few places left for him to hide.
From a purely footballing perspective, though, the gamble was understandable.
Beckham's club form was exceptional.
Eriksson, by contrast, had never been under greater scrutiny.
As the Northern Ireland match approached, debate over England's midfield intensified. Some argued that Gerrard and Lampard should be given more time together. Others wanted Beckham restored immediately and placed at the heart of the side.
Eriksson was caught between the two camps, but after his discussions with Yeager and Ethan, he had settled on a plan.
Everything depended on Beckham.
If Beckham agreed to return, he would go straight back into the starting eleven in a central role.
If he refused, Eriksson would continue with Gerrard and Lampard.
Eriksson even telephoned Beckham personally, explaining exactly how he intended to use him and making clear that this would not simply be a return to the old arrangement on the right.
Beckham asked for several days to think.
None of those conversations became public. For all the attention surrounding the story, even England's most determined reporters could establish little beyond one fact.
Eriksson was waiting for David Beckham.
While the newspapers debated his international future, New Manchester United travelled to Newcastle for their next League Cup tie.
With the schedule already congested, Mourinho once again relied heavily on reserves and academy players. Newcastle, struggling for consistency in the Premier League, took the competition much more seriously and fielded an experienced side at St James' Park.
The young Red Rebels competed bravely and twice fought their way back into the match, but Alan Shearer eventually made the difference. The veteran striker scored twice in the second half to send Newcastle through with a 4-2 victory.
Ishmael Miller was New Manchester United's standout performer, scoring both goals and offering another glimpse of the potential that had earned him increasing first-team opportunities.
The League Cup run was over.
Mourinho was hardly devastated.
Back at home, with most of his senior players restored to the starting line-up, New Manchester United responded by dismantling Portsmouth 5-0.
Kaká was magnificent, scoring twice and creating another two goals.
Beckham played only the first half.
He still scored.
Then, shortly after the final whistle, England announced their squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland.
David Beckham's name was on it.
The reaction was immediate.
Some supporters argued that returning to a player who had already walked away from international football represented a backwards step. Others believed Beckham was exactly the figure England needed to rescue a campaign already drifting dangerously off course.
Eriksson settled one question immediately.
Beckham would return as captain.
When he finally appeared before the media, Beckham showed little interest in reopening old arguments or answering his critics.
He had made his decision.
"I know what people have said," he told reporters. "That's not why I'm coming back."
He paused briefly.
"I'm coming back for one reason."
"For victory."
(To be continued.)
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◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)