"Are Bristol City are big enough?" - Lincoln City manager eyed up for Robins vacancy | OneFootball

Michael Skubala has been linked with the vacancy at Bristol City after winning Lincoln City promotion to the Championship by winning League One...

Bristol City have reportedly added Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala to their managerial shortlist, with the Robins eyeing a replacement for Roy Hodgson after he took over from Gerhard Struber.

Michael Skubala is not long into his managerial career but he has already achieved so much. After winning the League One title with 103 points and ending 2025/26 with a 29-game unbeaten streak, it's easy to see why the Lincoln City boss is of interest.

The 43-year-old has emerged as one of the brightest young coaches in the English game, which is why Bristol City are keen. After beginning his coaching journey in futsal and education roles with the FA, he earned widespread praise for his player development.

Skubala later joined Leeds United as part of Jesse Marsch’s backroom staff and briefly took interim charge during a turbulent Premier League period in 2023. That somewhat enhanced his reputation before he moved to Lincoln, where he has impressed further by building a highly competitive side and gaining promotion.

The Lincoln City verdict on Bristol City links to Michael Skubala

FLW’s Lincoln fan pundit, Gary Hutchinson of The Stacey West website, has had his say on the situation. We asked him if he believes Skubala would be tempted by the Bristol City job amid fresh links on Friday, or if that is a sideways move?

Gary told FLW: "I hadn't actually seen the Michael Skubala to Bristol City links but, look, I think any manager is always looking at his own career, isn't he?

"I'm not sure I could comment on Skubala personally, but I think if you're a League One manager coming up with Lincoln City, and an established club like Bristol City are looking at you, then I suppose that would be of interest.

"It depends on their personality and depends on their situation. If Michael is settled in Leicester, he's got a young family. Would he want to move down the M5 to Bristol? Would he want to uproot his family?

"So, there is a lot of that which I don't think gets seen in football. It's the same with players who tend to stay in a similar area. Look, clubs are going to keep looking at Michael Skubala.

"Eventually, one club is going to come in who is going to be big enough. The question is whether Bristol City are big enough or not? But that's not for me to decide.

"Gut feeling? Probably no."

Michael Skubala could have already taken Lincoln City as far as he can

Skubala's reputation and stock is at an all-time high and it might never be at this level again after next season. Despite their impressive rise under his tutelage, Lincoln are likely to face a difficult challenge in the 2026/27 Championship season after promotion.

Evidently, the division’s financial landscape is unforgiving, and wage bills often correlate heavily with league position over the course of a 46-game campaign.

Lincoln are expected to operate with one of the lowest wage bills in the league, which naturally makes competing with relegated Premier League clubs and established Championship sides extremely difficult.

Squad depth is also going to become a major issue. The intensity, physical demands and overall quality of the Championship are significantly higher than League One, and injuries or dips in form can quickly expose smaller squads.

Lincoln may also struggle to retain key players if bigger clubs circle following promotion, in much the same way as Skubala.

While recruitment becomes tougher when competing financially against clubs with far greater resources, Skubala’s coaching should keep them competitive tactically.

But survival would likely require over-performance and incredibly smart recruitment. He has to be considering jumping ship if this is all up against him, but is Bristol City enough of a jump?