Credit: Imago

Daniel Davis

Tue 7 April 2026 11:10, UK

Daniel Farke may well be glancing nervously over his shoulder at Leeds United after Michael Skubala guided Lincoln City to promotion to the Championship.

Skubala, formerly the Whites’ interim boss back in 2023, saw his new club seal their spot in the second division next season after beating Reading 2-1 on Easter Monday.

He has certainly hit the ground running in his first permanent job in management, having taken charge at the LNER Stadium in November 2023 after leaving Elland Road.

While his spell at the Leeds helm was brief, he showed enough then to hint at a potential return in the future. Now, fresh from his success at Lincoln, it looks a certainty.

Farke is under pressure as he looks to keep the Whites in the Premier League, and if he is successful, it would be incredibly harsh to sack him. However, football is notoriously fickle.

Michael Skubala makes history at Lincoln

Skubala, a former PE teacher and England futsal coach, stepped in to take charge of Leeds after Jesse Marsch was dismissed, taking one point from three matches.

He presided over an impressive 2-2 draw with Manchester United in his opening game before losing the reverse fixture and suffering a 1-0 defeat by Everton.

Javi Gracia was then appointed permanently, with Skubala joining his coaching staff. Several months later, after being inundated with job offers, he accepted Lincoln’s approach.

Fast forward two-and-a-half years, and Skubala has now ensured that the Imps will be playing Championship football for the first time since 1961.

Their assent was confirmed after Jack Moylan’s 96th-minute winner against Reading, which handed them an untouchable 19-point lead over third-placed Bradford City.

But Skubala isn’t done there. Lincoln’s unbeaten league run now stands at 24 games, having not tasted defeat since November 2025, and they are closing in on the title.

What does it mean for Daniel Farke?

Affectionately nicknamed ‘Skoobs’, the 43-year-old looks perfectly poised to make a comeback at Leeds in the future. That, of course, will greatly concern Farke.

Skubala has quickly gained a reputation for sterling man management, tactical prowess and a down-to-earth nature that would stand him in good stead in the Premier League.

Most importantly, though, he already knows his way around Thorp Arch like the back of his hand. In total, he spent around a year and a half at Leeds before leaving on glowing terms.

He has a varied CV, having been director of football at Loughborough University, conducted technical work for UEFA and also acted as an assistant coach for the England Under-18s.

That allowed him to take a natural step when Leeds’ U-21s came calling in July 2022.

These days, he truly appears a talented, all-round head coach. Surely, he will eventually look to turn his attention to his unfinished business back in Yorkshire.

Farke has done an outstanding job this season, with Leeds four points above the drop zone and into the FA Cup semi-finals, but nobody knows what the future may hold.

Clearly, then, he’d better watch out.