Leeds United manager interview process latest with working status of leading candidates confirmed

The Whites sacked Jesse Marsch on Monday following a run of 17 Premier League games that bore just two victories. A 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest, with a toothless second half performance, led to an angry response from fans – not for the first time this season – and the board no longer felt they could back the head coach.

Michael Skubala, Chris Armas and Paco Gallardo have been put in caretaker charge of training and will select and lead the team for the Wednesday night trip to Old Trafford, but the club’s efforts to bring in a permanent manager are already well underway.

Interviews have started to take place and the frontrunners are all understood to be working managers. Leeds’ hope is that they can bring someone in prior to Sunday’s game against Manchester United at Elland Road, but potential negotiations over the candidate they opt for could delay proceedings.

A number of names have already emerged, including Rayo Vallecano boss Andoni Iraola – a former player and disciple of ex-Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa – and Carlos Corberan at West Brom. Corberan worked under Bielsa at Leeds as Under 23s coach, assisting him with first team affairs in a dual role. The Leeds board would ideally like to bring in experience, having expressed concerns over the relative inexperience of Marsch’s backroom staff during his tenure and looked, on a number of occasions, to bolster it. Experience of one of Europe’s big five leagues would certainly be seen as ideal.

Skubala hosted his first press conference as caretaker boss on Tuesday afternoon and intimated that he had no concrete information on when an appointment could be finalised.

"I think they're working really hard behind the scenes to come up with a solution,” he said.

"They're really positive with that but I've got enough to do with the game. I'm just getting through this first game with Manchester United in terms of time, whatever happens between tomorrow and Sunday is up to the board. This is a temporary situation. I'm happy to support the club and look after the club at this moment in time while they work really hard to find a new head coach, and I'll get back to my old role once this is done. I'll just do the best job I can do.”