Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Leeds United - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 18, 2023 Leeds United interim manager Michael Skubala reacts Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Leeds United would ‘ideally’ like Michael Skubala to stay in charge for the rest of the season and keep the Whites up, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.
The Lowdown: Skubala still in charge
Skubala was made caretaker Leeds manager after the sacking of Jesse Marsch earlier this month but he has struggled to get positive results so far, despite an impressive opening performance at Old Trafford.
Saturday’s 1-0 loss away to Everton was a significant moment in the Premier League relegation battle, with the Whites now sitting 19th in the table and perhaps looking the least likely of the teams in the mix to pick up a head of steam.
Constant reports suggest that Leeds are eyeing up various new manager targets, from Nuno Espirito Santo all the way to Harry Redknapp, but Hay has heard that may not be the case…
The Latest: Hay drops key update
Writing for The Athletic, the reporter claimed that the ideal scenario amongst club chiefs is for Skubala to stay on in the role until the summer, having kept the Whites in the top flight:
“Ideally, the club would like Skubala to push them through to the end of the season; to limit the damage, keep the squad up and let the board — however it looks at that stage – attack the managerial market at a riper time of year.”
The Verdict: Feels like a big risk
Skubala hasn’t exactly set the world alight in his first three matches as Leeds’ interim manager, drawing one and losing the other two, so keeping him on feels like a massive risk.
The 40-year-old has absolutely no experience managing a senior team at any level – he has taken charge of 16 Whites Under-21s games – so being tasked with getting a side out of the relegation zone is a mammoth task.
In comparison, Leeds’ rivals at the bottom have the likes of Sean Dyche and David Moyes in charge – managers with vast experience who know how to battle their way through sticky periods.
It would, of course, be heartwarming to see Skubala stay on until the summer and guide the Whites to safety, but it is easy to see a scenario where they get cut adrift at the bottom and the decision backfires.
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