Garry Monk named Leeds United manager: Former Swansea boss replaces Steve Evans on one-year rolling contract

Monk replaces Evans after he was sacked by Massimo Cellino earlier this week

Garry Monk has been named Leeds United manager (PA)

Garry Monk has been named Leeds United manager after the club unveiled him on Thursday evening in a hastily arranged press conference at Elland Road, with the former Swansea manager agreeing a -year deal to replace Steve Evans.

Leeds owner Massimo Cellino sacked Evans earlier this week, just six months after he was appointed as a replacement for Uwe Rosler after he was himself dismissed by the controversial Italian.

"It feels great to be here," Monk told the club's official website.

"I'm extremely honoured to join Leeds United Football Club - we all know the history of the club and the standing it has in English football.

"I feel really honoured to be here and I'm really looking forward to the challenge ahead.

"The passion of the fans, the history and the ambition of the owner all ties in with what I wanted to do.

"I want to be challenged and really get my teeth into a big project. That was the underlying factor throughout the whole process and that's the reason why I'm here.

"This is definitely the right challenge for me and I'm really happy to be here."


 Cellino has sacked six Leeds managers in two years 
 (Getty)

Monk left Swansea in December after a run of poor results left them fighting relegation, with chairman Huw Jenkins electing to replace the likeable Englishman – who represented the Swans for 10 years before joining taking up the role of player-manager after Michael Laudrup was sacked.

Monk will be tasked with attempting to lift Leeds back into the Premier League after being relegated from the top flight at the end of the 2003/04 season, with a three-year drop into League One coming from 2007 until 2010.

However, his first task will be to get the fans on board as they continue to lobby for Cellino to leave the Championship club, having twice been disqualified by the Football League due to failing their Owners’ and Directors’ test and working his way through six different managers in two years.


 Evans was sacked after six months at Leeds 
 (Getty)

Addressing Monk’s appointment, Cellino said: "I'm very pleased to welcome Garry Monk to Leeds United.

"Garry is part of a new generation of coaches in England and has a lot of potential to develop, which is something we were targeting for the new season.

"I believe he's very suited to continuing the growth of our young and improving team. He will bring new strengths and a lot of energy to the squad.

"He was a fighter as a player and now he's the same as a manager - as we saw when he did very well at Swansea City. I feel he can really bring the best out of the team.

"It is a big challenge but Garry is very determined and he trusts himself with this job - he really wanted to come here. That is something which has impressed me a lot