Paul Robinson delivers verdict on Garry Monk’s time at Leeds

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Former Leeds manager Garry Monk has taken over at Birmingham City.

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has told betting outlet FansBet that he liked Garry Monk at Leeds United and that the former Swansea City boss will need to rely on all his managerial skills to help Birmingham City.

Monk joined Leeds for a season in the Elland Road dugout, pushing the Whites to within an inch of the Championship play-offs only for the club to falter towards the end of the season. They finished seventh in the league.

But a dispute over the length of Monk’s contract renewal between himself and owner Andrea Radrizzani saw Monk decide to resign from the Yorkshire club, and he was quickly snapped up by Middlesbrough.

The 39-year-old has now joined Birmingham City as manager after failing to impress at the Riverside, where he suffered a 2-1 defeat in his first match in charge against Nottingham Forest.

Robinson was a fan, but believes the size of the club affected his chances of success at Elland Road.

“I liked him, liked what he did and his style of play and he was well liked at Elland Road,” Robinson said. “It was a surprise when he left, went to Middlesbrough, and he didn’t really do that well there.

“He’s a young manager, he’s got good ideas. Leeds is a difficult club to manage. Fans’ expectations, the owner’s expectations, it is a huge, huge club to manage.

“I think he did a very, very good job. It needs a big manager, he will have learned a lot and he will need that as he is going into a difficult job at Birmingham.”

Leeds have gone a step backwards since Monk’s sacking, as they sit way down in 13th place and a huge nine points off the Championship play-offs with Middlesbrough sitting pretty in sixth following Monk’s sacking.

Thomas Christiansen was sacked earlier this year and replaced by Paul Heckingbottom, but the former Barnsley boss has tasted victory just once in five games. Leeds face Wolves on Wednesday night in what will be a tough ask for the Yorkshire club.