The popular player, who famously scored the opening goal for the club in the 2004 Scottish Cup final with Celtic, was announced as taking up the role yesterday (Thursday).
Skerla, who was capped 84 times by his country, takes up the post in place of Rokas Garastas, who will move to work with Lithuania’s under-15s ahead of the 2028 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, which they will host.
The 48-year-old, who moved to East End from PSV Eindhoven in 2000, previously worked as assistant manager with both the under-21s and senior side, as well as with FK Žalgiris Vilnius.
In 2021, Skerla took charge of Kaunas-based club, FC Hegelmann and, during the past five seasons, which the Baltic Football News website said was their “most stable and successful period”.
Last February, Skerla was feted for his work with FC Hegelmann when he was named as the Lithuanian (or Lithuania-based) men’s team coach of the year for 2024 at the Lithuanian Football Awards.
Born in the country’s capital, Vilnius, Skerla had moved from FK Žalgiris to Dutch giants PSV, having been spotted by their then manager, Bobby Robson.
As a teenager, he found himself in their team, before then Pars boss, the late Jimmy Calderwood, used his extensive knowledge of football in the country to bring him to Dunfermline.
Over the course of five seasons at East End, the cultured defender became a firm fans favourite with his consistent performances, particularly during the tenure of Calderwood and his assistant, Jimmy Nicholl.
After consolidating on their return to the top flight in Skerla’s first season at the club, Athletic then secured three successive top six finishes, the latter of which, in 2003/2004, saw them place fourth.
That campaign is most remembered for Dunfermline’s memorable run to the Scottish Cup final, in which Skerla’s header – one of five goals he scored in black and white – gave them a first half lead against Martin O’Neill’s Celtic.
Sadly for the Pars, the Hoops hit back with two goals from Henrik Larsson, and one from Stiliyan Petrov, to deny them a third trophy success in their first final since 1968.
Despite Calderwood and Nicholl leaving to join Aberdeen that summer, Skerla remained with the Pars for the 2004/2005 season, which marked a return to European competition for the first time in 34 years.
However, in August 2005, after around 200 appearances for the club, and having become Dunfermline’s joint-equal international, after winning 19 caps whilst at the club, he moved on to Russian side, Tom Tomsk, for a £200,000 fee.