Leeds have confirmed the appointment of Javi Gracia, the former Watford and Valencia head coach, as their manager. The 52-year-old Spaniard takes over from Jesse Marsch, who was sacked just over a fortnight ago, and has agreed what the club described as a “flexible contract”. It is understood the initial commitment is to the end of the season.
Leeds are in the Premier League’s relegation zone after defeat at Everton on Saturday and turned to Gracia after failing to land other targets. A quartet of their preferred candidates, Feyenoord’s Arne Slot, West Brom’s Carlos Corberán, the former River Plate coach Marcel Gallardo and Rayo Vallecano’s Andoni Iraola, proved out of reach.
Although Leeds may well try again in the summer for Iraola – whose pressing philosophy fits the template desired by Victor Orta, the director of football – they are acutely conscious that staying in the top flight would be key to any hope of securing his services.
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Subject to a work permit, Gracia’s first game will be at home to relegation rivals Southampton on Saturday, when defeat would leave Leeds bottom. He takes over a team who have gone 10 matches without a league win and since beating Chelsea 3-0 in August have taken the fewest points of any Premier League club: 12 from 20 games.
Despite winning the Qatari League with Al Sadd last season, Gracia was sacked last June. He was at Watford from January 2018 until September 2019, reaching the 2019 FA Cup final, but was dismissed after a poor start to the following season. Gracia has also managed Málaga and Russia’s Rubin Kazan among other clubs.
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Leeds said last Tuesday that Michael Skubala would continue as caretaker for the “upcoming fixtures”, but he was given one more match. The head coach of the Under-21s, assisted by Paco Gallardo and Chris Armas, oversaw an away draw and a home defeat against Manchester United before the Everton match. Leeds were above the relegation zone on goal difference when Marsch went after defeat at Nottingham Forest, but are now two points from the last safe spot.
