Phil Hay: Michael Skubala will not be Leeds United manager until end of the season
Leeds United have not appointed Michael Skubala as interim manager until the end of the season, according to The Athletic journalist Phil Hay.
Writing on The Athletic website on Tuesday night (14 January), after Leeds shared a statement saying Skubala, 40, will take charge of “upcoming fixtures”, Hay clarified the former England Under-18s manager’s actual position at Elland Road.
It is understood that Skubala “has not been appointed until the end of the season” and Leeds “regard this as a better option than hiring an interim coach” as they hunt down a successor for Jesse Marsch.
Hay adds that Leeds made an approach for former Ajax and Club Brugge manager Alfred Schreuder before backing out of a potential deal due to a “significant fan backlash”.
Worrying
Leeds’ Valentine’s Day statement about Skubala suggests that the board don’t have any idea about who they are going to replace as the club’s next permanent manager.
Skubala hasn’t done badly in his two games in charge against Manchester United but ultimately, neither have resulted in a win and Leeds are still well involved in the relegation battle.
Skubala’s credentials as a coach cannot be motivated but this small uplift is just what usually happens when a manager is changed. And tha’s even if you can call it an uplift – it’s one draw and one defeat against our most bitter of rivals.
Especially when the manager who’s gone was doing so badly.
Marsch didn’t have the full support of the dressing room, his tactics were abysmal and his bias towards signing players he’d previously managed was clearly a bad move.
Leeds are in trouble, aren’t they?
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