When Manchester United appointed Amorim as head coach – note the title – they viewed it as a progressive decision, bringing in someone who would work in a modern structure and develop as he went along.
Amorim had a good relationship with the players but despite multiple times, in private and public, saying his tactics would evolve from the 3-4-3 formation he used at Sporting, it never happened, much to the disappointment of those who ran the club.
This was brought into sharp focus on 30 December when, four days after changing to a back four for the first time in the 1-0 win over Newcastle, he reverted to a three-man defence against Wolves, moving Patrick Dorgu from a right-sided attacking role, where he had been so effective on Boxing Day, to left wing-back.
Fans were stunned and dismayed in equal measure.
By that point, United had already tried to persuade long-term target Antoine Semenyo to join them from Bournemouth by telling him he would play on the left wing. This was a clear sign the club viewed the future as being something different to a 3-4-3 formation, given they had already spent in excess of £200m on attacking players.
It is no surprise therefore that the formation against Wolves and the subsequent result – a 1-1 draw against a side who previously had collected just two points all season and which led to the team being booed off – was viewed extremely negatively internally at Old Trafford.
It was another massive backwards step in Amorim’s relationship with his bosses, and his continued criticism just heightened that situation.
Already distinctly unimpressed by Amorim’s brutal dismissal of academy players – he never watched a single age-group game – and criticism of senior members of the United squad, it left the 40-year-old in an extremely delicate position heading into the Leeds game.
His interaction with the media on Friday included a thinly disguised admission there were splits behind the scenes.
And things erupted after Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Elland Road when Amorim launched his final broadside, in his very last answer, which included the statement that he “would not quit”.
That, effectively, meant United had to either back Amorim or sack him. Amorim wanted to be left alone to do his job, free from the unwanted influence of director of footall Jason Wilcox.
But what Amorim felt was interference, United believed was normal feedback which had been repeatedly resisted.
The situation had become untenable. United are sixth, in line with pre-season expectations and with a squad many, both inside Old Trafford and out, could deliver much better results than they have been getting with a few simple tactical tweaks.
