Arne Slot snub shows Leeds United's difficulty as they chase coaches currently in work - Yorkshire Post 11/2/23

Leeds United are finding the hard way just how difficult it is to recruit an in-work manager after Feyenoord's Arne Slot became the latest to ruled himself out of replacing Jesse Marsch as head coach.

By Stuart Rayner

The Whites have deliberately tried to explore a number of different options in parallel during a process they had initially thought would be wrapped up by now.

But Slot's apparently unequivocal withdrawal from the running means there are now four candidates for them to choose between. All of them are in jobs at present and all have been interviewed.

Andoni Iraola is understood to be one of them, but Rayo Vallecano's understandable reluctance to part with a young coach who has taken them from the Spanish second division into a strong position to qualify for the Champions League means that too is difficult. Even so, Leeds have not given up on the idea of bringing him to Elland Road.

They are looking for an up-and-coming coach who can play the high-intensity football that was a hallmark of the contrasting styles of Marsch and his predecessor Marcelo Bielsa.

That made 44-year-old Slot an attractive option too.

Dutch Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord said on Thursday there had been no approach from Leeds but it has since come and been rejected by last season's coach of the year in the Netherlands.

“I’m staying, I’m just staying trainer of Feyenoord," he confirmed as Leeds caretaker manager Michael Skubala was conducting his pre-match press conference for Sunday’s Premier League visit of Manchester United. "I can say that now.

"There has been contact between the clubs, but we are working on something beautiful here.

“The club was very clear. It is a compliment that a club like Leeds United is interested. It is a wonderful club in England, but it is not a disappointment or a punishment to continue at Feyenoord.

"We are doing very well on many fronts. In the league, we are still in a European tournament. I will continue with great enthusiasm.”

That all four of the remaining candidates are understood to be in jobs would rule out Marcelo Gallardo even before reports in Argentina saying reservations about his lack of English and not having a pre-season would preclude the former River Plate coach from saying yes to the West Yorkshire club.

Former Huddersfield Town coach Carlos Corberan effectively shut the door on a return to Elland Road, where he served on Marcelo Bielsa's backroom staff, by signing a contract extension at West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday.

Marsch was sacked the previous day after a run of two wins in 17 league matches and at that point Leeds were hopeful of having a new man appointed, if not necessarily in the dugout, for Wednesday's Premier League match at Manchester United.

Instead the Whites were led by under-21 coach Skubala, who led them to an encouraging 2-2 draw which could have been even better with Brenden Aaronson's free-kick hitting the post with the score at 2-1.

The performance as well as the result has bought the club some time and Skubala will now oversee the return fixture at Elland Road on Sunday.

"I've been having clear communication every day with Victor (Orta, Leeds' director of football) and I will be in charge on Sunday," he confirmed.

Asked if he was thinking about what he might need to do if he remains in charge next week, the former England futsal coach replied: "No, I'm not planning for anything other than day-to-day communication with Victor, communication with the board on a day-to-day basis. I'm just doing the best I can do in the short term."

If back-to-back matches against Champions League-chasing Manchester United are seen as something of a free hit in some quarters, the two games that follow them are certainly not.

Premier League matches against Everton (away) and Southampton (at home) on consecutive Saturdays could go a long way to shaping all three clubs' seasons as they fight against possible relegation. After that, Leeds have an FA Cup fifth-round tie at Fulham.

That a club in the richest league in the world is on the prowl for a new coach is clearly a concern to those clubs in other leagues with managers performing well at present.

"We've tied him to the chair upstairs and got a couple of security guards at his door," joked Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy when asked about his boss, Ange Postecoglou . "There's always speculation and it's credit to the manager in terms of the job he's done here. It's a bit like players, when they do well they get linked to other clubs.

"I think the manager has shown his abilities as a manager. When you do that and you have success with that, you attract attention and that's what's happened. But ultimately it's a lot of speculation. That's what it is. There's a lot of noise but I know first-hand the way he works.

"He's really focused on his job here, he loves being here and he's in the middle of building something very special so I think his mind is firmly focused on being at Celtic and doing the best he can here."