Leeds United boss Garry Monk admits it is ‘very hard to be happy’ as a manager

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Sacked by Swansea and under pressure at Leeds just months into his managerial career, it’s understandable that Monk wishes he was still a player.

Garry Monk has admitted to LUTV that he finds it “very hard to be happy” in management compared to his time as a player, according to Inside Football.

Leeds United have transformed their fortunes in recent weeks, Monk emphatically ending any rumours about his future with a superb run of four wins in five Championship games to lift the Yorkshire giants to the verge of the play-off positions.

However, the former Swansea City manager will not be present on the touchline for Saturday’s potentially tricky trip to a resurgent Derby County after he was sent to the stands with emotions running high in Leeds’ narrow 1-0 defeat to Bristol City in late September (below).

And Monk admits that a career in the dugout brings a completely different level of pressure to that of a player.

“It is relief for the manager [when you get three points]”, the 37-year-old explained on LUTV, as reported by Inside Football. “It’s very hard to be happy.

“As a player you get to enjoy it, switch off, enjoy that weekend and come back the following week on a high, happy, get on with your work, do as you’re told, go and do your training.

“As a manager you’re relieved because you put all that work and preparation into that week to get that result. Literally within ten minutes after the end of the game you’re thinking about training for the next week, the next game.

“Pretty much by the Saturday night, if we’ve played on the Saturday, I’m looking at the opposition coming up, their games, watching other games, analysing, preparing training, who’s fit, who’s not, who’s fresh, analyse the game that’s just gone, who did well, who didn’t.

“So yes, it’s not so enjoyable.”

Monk will surely be feeling a lot more upbeat about his side’s chances this season, however, after they bounced back in impressive fashion from a dismal start to the highly-rated coach’s tenure at Elland Road.

Another win at the iPro this weekend will raise hopes that Monk can even inspire Leeds to a play-off push that has eluded them during years of mismanagement and mediocrity.