Bristol City: Michael Skubala appointment sets tone – James Ellis

Bristol City sporting director James Ellis believes securing the services of former Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala “sets the tone for the next two to three years”.

In an interview with the Robins’ club website, external, Ellis also said Skubala came through a “rigorous” recruitment process before being appointed.

“We have ambitions over the next three years to get to where we want to be, and Michael’s appointment is an important one to set the tone for that,” said Ellis.

“Michael is a high-quality human being, a high-quality leader, a winner and someone who is going to help move this football club forward.”

Along with Preston North End and Queens Park Rangers, the Ashton Gate club are on the longest active run of consecutive Championship seasons, having last been absent from the second tier in 2014-15.

They hope that by hiring the man who won the third-tier title last season, the top tier of English football may become a real possibility in the near future.

“Everyone in the South-West is passionate about how their football club is run and how they play,” said Ellis.

“Michael is very balanced and he connects well with people, and that goes for up through the organisation, too.

“He knows his job is to win football matches, but to do that you need the support of everyone around you.”

That all-inclusive approach was something the Bristol City board factored into their hiring process.

Skubala will be the third man to take charge of of the Robins in a year after the club dismissed head coach Gerhard Struber in March, before appointing interim boss Roy Hodgson in his place until the end of the campaign.

“We wanted to deliver a process that had attention to detail, it was rigorous and needed time, which is why we must thank Roy [Hodgson], who came in for the final seven weeks of the season,” said Ellis.

“We talked to people that understood him not just as a coach but as a person, because we needed to make sure of the fit of the individual and his staff, because this is a special club and a different one for great reasons.”