United States legend and Imps’ strategic advisor, Landon Donovan, has described the pre-Michael Skubala Lincoln City as one with ‘poor ideas’ in a recent podcast.
As I get accused of being biased against a former manager, I won’t specifically name them, as Landon doesn’t, but on the GOALS’ The Rondo podcast, he gives a fascinating insight into how he sees the future for the Imps.
Looking at styles, Landon discusses how the Imps are quite vertical in transition, very different from Cardiff City, for example, but how that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it once was.
“Cardiff, who are second, are more of that style, more modern in that way. And it’s not that Lincoln City don’t play football because I watch the games,” said Landon.
“I will say this, full disclosure, there were a couple of years along the way over the last five or six where I would call Harvey (Jabara). I’d say, ‘Man, this is hard to watch right now.’ I would say it’s hard to watch because the team was poor, and the ideas were poor.”
Landon joined the team as part of the Jabaras investment in June 2021, and so he could be referring to either the Michael Appleton era or Mark Kennedy. We’ll have our ideas about what he means, but I don’t think our ideas pre-June 2021 were poor. That’s all I’ll say.
It’s not all Landon said. He picked out one of our players for special praise, and it will surprise nobody at all to find out which player that is.
“Since Michael Skubala’s come in, they’re direct and vertical initially, but then, like some really good players, like Conor McGrandles. He’s a midfielder you guys won’t have heard of, but he might be the best player in the league.
“He’s a really talented footballer. So, initially, there is an idea of being direct play in that part of the field. But then there’s some really good players who are having fantastic seasons.”
McGrandles is one of many good footballers in the City side, and one who has now moved on to 192 outings across all competitions for the Imps. He is also one of the players who cannot be accused of playing during the times of lack of ideas; he left at the end of the 2021/22 season, as did Michael Appleton, and returned on loan in January 2024 after Mark Kennedy’s dismissal.