Leeds United’s 2022/23 season saw four different managers try to keep the club out of the relegation zone in the Premier League.
Most of the damage was done during Jesse Marsch’s tenure. Meanwhile, a promising start under Javi Gracia quickly fell apart in spectacular fashion. And by the time Sam Allardyce arrived, the writing appeared to be all but on the wall.
The shortest spell belonged to Michael Skubala. The 41-year-old was appointed as interim boss after Marsch’s departure.
Former Leeds coach Michael Skubala is on 11-match unbeaten run with Lincoln
While things got off to a bright start with a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, defeats against Manchester United and Everton saw Leeds rapidly step up their pursuit of another manager.
Skubala remained at Leeds in a couple of roles until he was appointed as Lincoln City’s head coach in November.
Lincoln lost just one of their first six league games under Skubala. But their form did dip over Christmas, with their loss to Blackpool on New Year’s Day proving to be their fourth defeat on the spin.
Since then however, Lincoln have not a lost a game in League One. A 5-1 win over Barnsley on Saturday took their unbeaten run to 11 games. And they have won six of their last eight.
It has brought them back into the race for the play-off places in the third tier.
Play-off push still possible
It is fantastic to see Skubala doing well. No-one will attach any blame to him for what happened at Elland Road last season. And in truth, it was unfair to put him in that position in the first place.
The Leeds hierarchy got carried away by the side beating Liverpool and Bournemouth. And they somehow kept Marsch in charge for the January window, yet decided Marsch was not the right man one game after the window shut.
What made the decision-making even more perplexing was that Leeds did not have a replacement lined up.
Skubala stepped up. But clearly, he did not deserve to be burdened with being in charge for the rest of the campaign given what was coming.
And he is now showing how much potential he could indeed have in the future.
