Reports from Football League World suggest that Huddersfield Town have shortlisted Michael Skubala for the vacant role in West Yorkshire.
In a surprise to nobody at all, the Terriers sacked Lee Grant after their defeat against Burton Albion yesterday, a result compounded by a goal from self-exiled Imp JJ McKiernan. I predicted he’d be gone by Christmas, so he lasted 24 days more than I imagined, and there is no surprise they’re coming for Skubala.
I’m not actually worried. I wrote something similar when they came for Danny Cowley back in 2019, and I ended up with egg on my face, but I’m just not that worried about this development, because the situation has changed.
Firstly, when Danny went, there were rumblings in pre-season that he might be on his way, and lots of the chatter was that they’d been interviewed elsewhere, Sheffield Wednesday being one such outlet. We felt secure because of the progress the club were making, but it wasn’t at the pace DC wanted. That’s fine, no problem, and given Huddersfield had recent Premier League experience, there was a big opportunity there.
Fast forward to today, and Huddersfield’s managerial record doesn’t scream ‘long-term project’. Since we appointed Skubala in November 2023, they’ve had Darren Moore, Jon Worthington, André Breitenreiter, Michael Duff, Worthington again (interim) and Lee Grant. Duff, with 43 games in league and cup, is the longest serving.
Given that Michael has reached a place now where his long-term vision is being realised, would he really go to a club that demands instant success, in a period where he can’t really make signings of his own, given the timeframe, understanding that if they didn’t make the top six, he would probably be out of a job in May? Compare that to us, where he’s happy with the group, making the biggest signings the club has ever made, and has a real chance of promotion with a club that appreciates his talents. I don’t think he would.
If Huddersfield were in the Championship, maybe, but they’re not; they’re ten points behind us, having played a game more. Their owners have proven to be people looking for immediate impact and results, and Michael’s skills are in building for the future, backed by solid ownership. We’ve got Ron Fowler coming in, possibly ushering in the next era for our football club. Would he risk that for short-term gain? A few extra thousand in the bank for six months, when he could feasibly take us up and attract a proper big club, like Middlesbrough or West Brom?
I don’t see it. We’ll have the panto online for the next few weeks, I’m sure. We’ll have Huddersfield fans claiming it’s a step up, Lincoln fans saying it isn’t, and all the posturing we saw with Appleton to West Brom rumours and Cowley to Ipswich rumours. I just don’t see Michael Skubala, given the character that he is, risking a huge career misstep with a club that, with the greatest of respect, are becoming a bit of a basket-case, boom and bust, rinse and repeat sacking club lacking direction from the top down.
All what you say goes without saying for most sensible Lincoln City fans. However the use of terminology like “basket case” is from another time and does you little credit!