Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has admitted that his old side will need to restructure at academy level, having recently lost Michael Skubala.
Skubala was brought to Thorp Arch back in 2022, following the loss of Mark Jackson who joined MK Dons when the side were still in League One. However, within a matter of months as the head coach of Leeds’ U21s, Skubala was made interim boss of the first-team after Jesse Marsch’s dismissal back in February.
The 41-year-old was placed in charge for three games and the Yorkshire club suffered two defeats and managed one draw, picking up a point away at Old Trafford against Manchester United in a 2-2 tie.
After Javi Gracia was appointed to the hot seat, Skubala was kept on the backroom staff but had been working as the side’s U21s boss once more this season before taking up the vacant managerial position at Lincoln City.
This was the first permanent head coaching position Skubala had accepted in men’s football and left a big hole in Leeds’ academy system. Former player Paul Robinson has compared Skubala’s exit to that of Jackson back in 2022, admitting that the Whites will have to restructure the academy in his absence.
Speaking to MOT Leeds News, Robinson said:
“Listen the under-23s have produced a lot of good players. Mark Jackson leaving to be the manager of MK Dons, that was a blow as well at the time, and with Skubala going as well the structure needs looking at again, it needs addressing.
“Skubala has obviously got aims at managing men’s first-team level, and you wish somebody all the best. He had a taste of it with the Leeds first team, cut his teeth if you like in management,” he continued.
“I think there’s a lot of coaches at under-23s level and in academies that aspire to do that but there’s not many who get the opportunity to do that. So when an opportunity for a coach who does have aspirations comes along you wish them well.
“But for Leeds it’s another restructuring in the academy. I think Mark Jackson going was a big blow because of the job that he did, and I think [Skubala] leaving as well will be a test to see how they restructure.”
Writer’s View
Leeds’ academy has been flourishing in recent seasons as the likes of Sam Greenwood, Joe Gelhardt, Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray and Charlie Cresswell, just to name a few, have all come through the ranks from Thorp Arch to make their debuts in the first-team.
It is important that the board put the right head coach in place to ensure that the U21s are playing a similar brand of football as the main squad which will make the transition easier for the youngsters. The Peacocks had that with Skubala and want the same system in place going forward.
Deputy Head of Writing
