Monk and Karanka look set to swap

LEEDS UNITED’S search for a new manager is under way after a dramatic turn of events that could yet pave the way for what would effectively be a job swap between Garry Monk and Aitor Karanka.

The Elland Road hierarchy were left “shocked” yesterday when Monk tendered his resignation less than a year after taking charge.

Just 24 hours earlier, new owner Andrea Radrizzani had revealed the club’s plan to trigger a 12-month contract extension for their head coach towards the end of this week.

Monk, though, had other ideas and asked United to release him from an agreement that still had a month or so to run.

Radrizzani “reluctantly” accepted the request, agreeing to forego any potential compensation should another club snap up the 38-year-old.

This could be the green light for Middlesbrough to make a move, sources on Teesside indicating how highly regarded Monk is by the club’s hierarchy.

Steve Agnew has been in interim charge at the Riverside since Karanka’s dismissal in March, but chairman Steve Gibson wants a more experienced man at the helm following relegation from the Premier League.

In a further twist, Karanka is the early favourite to succeed Monk at Elland Road with his long-time ally, Victor Orta, on the verge of being appointed as Leeds’s new technical director following his departure from Boro earlier this week.

Orta, head of recruitment at Boro, is seen as a key part of the management overhaul that Radrizzani believes will help United build on a season that promised so much only to end in the disappointment of missing out on the play-offs.

The search for Monk’s successor will be the first big test for Radrizzani since his full takeover of the club. It is not one he anticipated, even if it is understood viable alternatives were already under consideration in case Monk did decide to look elsewhere.

Following his takeover, Radrizzani had wanted to build a relationship with his head coach, as he made clear in The Yorkshire

Post yesterday.

The pair met at the start of the week and again on Wednesday afternoon at Elland Road. Then, though, came yesterday’s parting of the ways amid soundings from sources close to Monk that he was disappointed only a 12-month extension was on the table rather than a longer term deal.

For his part, the Leeds chairman tweeted yesterday, in response to that suggestion: “We were keen to do 3 years deal. We never receive any request from him and his agent. No regrets, we did our best.”

Monk, in a statement released last night, said: “It is a huge disappointment my time at Leeds United has come to an end. My intention was to remain at Leeds and I saw myself at this fantastic club for many years to come.

“However, unfortunately, no agreement could be reached. After discussions with the new owner, we have unfortunately been unable to agree a suitable way for us all to move forward together.”

Monk leaves Leeds in a healthier shape than when he arrived last June.

Under his charge, United claimed a highest league position since 2011 and their highest points total for 11 years. That this was achieved with a ‘mid-table’ wage budget when compared to their Championship peers adds fuel to the belief that Leeds made important strides forward under the former Swansea City manager. The flipside, however, to that progress was the late collapse in form that saw a play-off place squandered via just one win from the final eight games.

Despite this, Monk insisted the campaign had been “a success, no matter what” – a view that was not shared by Radrizzani, who offered this assessment on Wednesday night.

““I’m not that happy when I see that (the fans) are happy with the season. The season at the end was not good. We didn’t achieve. Something didn’t work so we can’t be happy,” he said.

Radrizzani’s tweet aside, Leeds’s only public comment has been yesterday’s official statement to confirm their head coach’s departure.

It read: “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 (Wednesday) that his intention was to exercise the club’s option to extend 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 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, Garry’s agent requested that the option was not exercised and his resignation was received (yesterday morning).”

I saw myself at this fantastic club for many years to come. Garry Monk, who yesterday ended his time as Leeds United’s head coach.