From hero to zero and back again: Has Danny Mandroiu finally found his place at Lincoln City? I think the Irishman has become a key figure at the Imps since Michael Skubala was appointed as head coach.
Mandroiu arrived at City for a relatively small fee back in the summer of the 2022/23 season as Mark Kennedy’s first marquee signing. The acquisition excited fans, Mandroiu’s record in the League of Ireland for Shamrock Rovers was impressive and reported interest from Scottish Champions, Celtic, just a few months before showed what an impressive coup the signing was.
Despite the excitement though, Mandroiu struggled to get fit during his first few months at the club. The Irishman arrived in July, but failed to make any appearances in pre-season and only got his first minutes on the pitch for the Imps against Bolton in October. Once he got going though, he was impressive, scoring twice in his first five appearances as City recorded positive results against the likes of Barnsley, Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday.
After just six appearances, Mandroiu once again found himself injured and out of action. The start of November through to the end of February saw Mandroiu make just 7 appearances, with injuries keeping him out in patches. The final stretch of the season saw an improvement in Mandroiu in terms of fitness and he put together a decent run as the Imps secured a top-half League One finish.
His first season at the club would probably be considered a success and many were excited at the prospect of him having a full pre-season under Kennedy to allow him to improve even further, especially his fitness.
The winger started the 2023/24 season remarkably, an AllLincoln MOTM performance away at Notts County in the first round of the Carabao Cup raised a few eyebrows, and he backed it up with impressive perfroamcnes against Wycombe and Blackpool at Sincil Bank.
The end of August is where it seemed to all go horribly wrong though. A small injury kept him out against Carlisle and Portsmouth and then a return to action against Peterborough saw him at fault for one of the goals, although it has to be recognised that the team as a whole struggled that day. It was the week after that things really got heated for Mandroiu.
A home match against a struggling Burton Albion side was a chance for Kennedy’s Imps to get back into some form after a tough few weeks with results and injuries. It was lacklustre though, and when Mandroiu’s rash challenge saw him sent off in the second-half, fans weren’t too happy. The tackle was poorly timed and not needed, which is how Kennedy saw it too. His words about Mandroiu post-match were tough and there looked to be no way back for the Irishman.
Just a few days later, the club announced the dismissal of Kennedy and his assistant Danny Butterfield. We’ve been told as a fanbase that the decision wasn’t entirely based on results, and judging by the timing, it’s likely the Mandroiu comments were also a factor in it.
The Irishman returned to the first team as soon as his suspension was over, but under the interim management of Tom Shaw. He kept his place in the first team once Skubala was appointed, and scored three goals in the first seven games of the Skubala era, but another red card on Boxing Day against Bolton put doubt in the minds of fans about if he had a future at the club.
Clearly a talented player, but Mandroiu’s future was hanging in the balance. With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, many thought we’d see a quick sale in January or he’d be released in the summer but now it looks like we’ll be fighting to keep hold of him due to his recent performances.
City’s charge towards the playoffs since January has seen Mandroiu pick up some great form in an unfamiliar position. Due to season-ending injuries for Ethan Hamilton and Conor McGrandles, the Irishman has been deployed in midfield and he’s shown his class in the middle of the park. Outstanding performances at home to Bristol Rovers and Cambridge, as well as away from home in a 5-1 win at Barnsley have been the highlights of his team in central midfield.
It hasn’t just been the high scoring games though, his most recent outing against Oxford United was probably his best performance in a City shirt yet. A commanding performance in the middle of the park, putting in tackles, picking out passes and controlling play. He was the pick of the bunch, and secured an AllLincoln MOTM for his efforts. The winning goal from the penalty spot was just the icing on top of a really good performance.
Skubala praised the Irishman before City travelled to Oxford and it’s clear to see why. He has all the attributes to become a really good midfield player. It’s not always the position a player starts their career in that they excel in, the perfect example is how well Lasse Sorensen is doing at right wing-back. He wasn’t bad in midfield, but a change in position has made him a key player and one of the first on the team sheet. The same could go for Mandroiu too, if he carries on this form until the end of the season and helps us continue the playoff push, he could be in line for a new contract while also attracting the attention of other clubs too.