Gary Monk Speaks

Garry Monk‏
"It is with huge disappointment that my time at Leeds United has come to an end..."

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Garry Monk's statement:


"It is with huge disappointment that my time at Leeds United has come to an end.

"My intention was always to remain at Leeds and I saw myself at this fantastic club for many years to come. However, ultimately no agreement could be reached.

"After discussions with the new owner, we have unfortunately been unable to agree a suitable way for us to all move forward together.

"Working at such a huge and historic club as Leeds United has been a true honour and myself and staff put our all into what was an excellent season.

"It was a campaign in which we were set the objective of improving things across the board on the field, in the wake of what has been a difficult few years for the club.

“We have unfortunately been unable to agree a suitable way for us to all move forward”

"I believe that we managed not only to considerably improve our results, but I would also like to think we gave the loyal Leeds United fans and the city of Leeds a team and a club of which they can once again feel proud.

"Hopefully and I'm sure that the many foundations we have put in place here can be built upon and it's my desire to see this amazing club back in the Premier League, where it belongs.

"I would like to thank all of the players, who have been a real privilege to work with every day. They are on the right track to become very successful and boast the potential to be top players for this club, of that I have no doubt.

"I'd like to thank all the staff at the club. First and foremost, my first-team staff, I am very grateful for the hard work and commitment you put into last season.

"I also wish to thank the staff at the Academy, Thorp Arch, Elland Road and the matchday personnel at the stadium, who have all made myself and my family feel most welcome.

"I'd like to thank both Massimo Cellino and Andrea Radrizzani. Particular thanks go to Massimo, who helped bring me and my staff to this tremendous football club. I would also like to wish Andrea good luck and success during his tenure as the Leeds United owner.

"Last but most definitely not least, I'd like to give my thanks and express my appreciation to all the supporters. You are amazingly loyal and passionate. The support you have offered me makes me feel immensely proud.

"I will always cherish those amazing atmospheres you created at Elland Road last season and the complete takeovers of opposition grounds, with thousands of you travelling to every game.

"Your unbelievable support is deserving of a place amongst the elite and belongs in the Premier League.

"Finally, I'd like to wish Leeds United and everyone associated with the club a very successful future."

THE CLUB STATEMENT:

Club accepts Garry Monk's resignation


Leeds United can confirm that we have received Garry Monk’s resignation from his role as First Team Manager.

We are shocked and disappointed by Garry’s decision but his resignation has been reluctantly accepted by Chairman Andrea Radrizzani.

Andrea made it clear to the media yesterday that his intention was to exercise the Club's option to extended the Manager's contract for another 12 months and immediately begin negotiations for a longer term deal.

Mr Radrizzani has met with Garry twice since taking over at Elland Road earlier this week and during the second meeting yesterday it became clear that Garry was considering life beyond Leeds United as at no time did Garry wish to discuss terms for a longer contract.

Following that meeting yesterday Garry’s agent requested that the option was not exercised and his resignation was received this morning.

Whilst we are deeply saddened by Garry’s decision, there is no individual bigger than our Club and we will now begin a process to identify and appoint a new Head Coach to take the club to the next level.

We thank Garry for his contribution during his time at Leeds United, we are disappointed that we could not continue on this journey together.

Leeds and Garry Monk were at odds with each other on Thursday night over the nature of the manager’s Elland Road departure.

Monk shocked many at Elland Road by resigning from his role, just as new owner Andrea Radrizzani claimed to be offering him a three-year contract.

With the one-year deal Monk had due to expire, Leeds had planned to exercise their one-year option on the 38-year-old before immediately beginning talks over a long-term stay.

But while Monk did not address those claims specifically, he said in his own leaving letter to supporters that he had seen himself remaining at Leeds for “many years to come” and that he and Radrizzani had been “unable to agree a suitable way to move forward”.

As is often the way at Leeds, the departure leaves more questions than answers.

That Leeds let their most successful manager in six years run down to only having a one-year option is one, and what Monk’s sticking points were is another.

Either way, United are left looking for a ninth permanent manager in just over four years, with Aitor Karanka the early front-runner.

In the wake of the end of Massimo Cellino’s chaotic reign when Radrizzani upgraded his 50 per cent stake to sole ownership on Tuesday, an air of positivity had engulfed the club.

Rising star Ronaldo Vieira signed a new four-year deal on Wednesday and then Radrizzani made his intentions to repurchase Elland Road known.


The future of Monk was the burning issue, though, and the Italian owner said he planned to give Monk a new 12-month deal before working out a way forward.

Then came Monk’s resignation which Leeds said left them “shocked and disappointed”.

It is understood when Monk visited Elland Road on Wednesday he gave no indication as to what was to come and when the news was delivered before lunchtime on Thursday, it caught staff on the hop.

“Shocking news from GM. We were keen to do 3 years deal. We never receive any request from him and his agent. No regrets, we did our best #mot,” Radrizzani tweeted in response.


Monk – who has quickly been installed as the favourite to replace Karanka at Middlesbrough – issued a lengthy statement of his own, but did not address his specific reasons for leaving.

“It is with huge disappointment that my time at Leeds United has come to an end,” he said.

“My intention was always to remain at Leeds and I saw myself at this fantastic club for many years to come. However, ultimately no agreement could be reached.

“After discussions with the new owners, we have unfortunately been unable for us to find a way to move forward together.”


Monk leaves Leeds as the first manager to resign from his post since Dennis Wise in 2008 and with a best points haul since 2006.

That he survived Cellino’s for a whole season is an achievement itself and the curiosity of him resigning two days after the ‘manager eater’ can not be overlooked.

For all Monk impressed during that season, finishing seventh, there was a strong sense of disappointment inside the club.

Monk felt the season was a success but Leeds should have been in the play-offs and would have been were it not for a run of one win from their final eight games. Radrizzani pointed that out on Wednesday.