Leeds United manager Thomas Christiansen was fired last night. Could former Middlesbrough manager Garry Monk make an unlikely return?
The former APOEL boss did not last a full season in his first foray into English football.
Leeds have not won a game since December and they have now conceded four goals in consecutive home games, with a 4-1 loss against former boss Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City.
Christiansen was a breath of fresh air when the season began at Leeds, with his side’s attacking football the antithesis to Garry Monk’s pragmatic style last season.
But with Leeds now being opened up with regularity, some Leeds fans are calling for their former boss to make a shock comeback…
Monk was loved by Leeds fans last year but he stunned the club by walking out on the job in the summer, citing concerns over a director of football policy.
Burned bridges?
Monk became a figure of derision from many Leeds fans this season, joining Middlesbrough and then being sacked after a few months following big spending in the summer.
Joining another Championship side was seen as an act of betrayal, but Monk has not benefited from the situation, in fact his managerial career has now been harmed.
His former Leeds assistant Pep Clotet took a job in management on his own with Oxford United, but he too was sacked earlier this year.
Both are available potentially to resume their old roles if required, but it should not be forgotten that Monk failed last season too to get into the play-offs, and is without his key players from last season, Chris Wood, Kyle Bartley and Rob Green.
Monk may not want to head back to Leeds after receiving severe criticism from fans this season and Victor Orta’s continued presence as director of football would remain a sticking point.
But it says a lot at how awful results have been in 2018 that some fans are even considering – let alone pleading with Monk on social media – to come back to Leeds.
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