After three chaotic years under the ownership of Massimo Cellino, you'd forgive Leeds United supporters for wanting a new era to begin on a more stable footing. Andrea Radrizzanni confirmed his long awaited 100% buyout of the club last Tuesday to usher in another new dawn.
By the Wednesday, promising youngster Ronaldo Vieira committed himself to the club with a new four-year deal. By the Thursday, head coach Garry Monk tendered his resignation. If Radrizzani was hoping for a quiet introduction to football ownership, then he's quickly learned that Leeds United and quiet rarely go hand in hand. Less than 48 hours at his new club, at the top of Radrizanni's in-tray is the search for a new head coach, an early test of his vision and plan to take Leeds forward.
It didn't look like such a task would be required. Only 24 hours earlier, Radrizzani was speaking of activating Monk's contract for an additional twelve months, a trigger that was built into the former Swansea manager's original deal last summer, before discussing longer term plans. And that seemed the logical step to take. After all, Monk has revitalised Leeds, taking a club meandering in the lower echelons of the second tier to the cusp of the Premier League.
The fans returned too, in number and voice, with several sell-out crowds and a return to the kind of atmospheres Elland Road was in danger of leaving behind. Garry Monk departs Elland Road with an enhanced reputation following Leeds' best season for five years, but also under a cloud of confusion. The dust may have settled on his surprising resignation, the first Leeds boss to resign from the post since Dennis Wise in 2008, but the reasoning behind it remains unclear.
On one side, we have the club saying they are 'shocked and disappointed' by Monk's decision and that at no point was he prepared to discuss new terms. On the other side, we have Monk expressing his 'huge disappointment' at leaving Leeds, that it was always his intention to remain at the club 'for many years to come' but that no agreement could be made.
The two viewpoints are too contrasting to know exactly what has led to this situation arising. Perhaps Monk has had offers elsewhere, financial guarantees and assurances regarding control over transfers, something eclipsing what Leeds could offer. Or perhaps Radrizzani wasn't as keen on Monk as he expressed publicly. The way the club fell away and out of the play-off places at the final hurdle last season could have caused concern, resulting in a reluctance to offer more than a 12-month extension.
But the departure of Garry Monk is more damaging than simply the loss of one man. His highly popular assistant, Pep Clotet, is likely to follow him out the door. So too is James Beattie, who has been credited with playing an influential role in transforming Chris Wood into a thirty goal a season striker. And of equal concern is that Monk's exit is likely to end any chance Leeds had in converting Kyle Bartley's loan deal from Swansea to a permanent one. Bartley has been a rock in Leeds' back line this season, creating a formidable partnership with Pontus Jansson as Leeds assembled a defence capable of challenging for promotion. He is surely now likely to follow Monk as he has done previously.
But arguably the biggest concern is that Leeds are in danger of squandering the foundations that were laid last season. The disappointment of missing out on the play-offs was softened by the view that Leeds were finally getting their act together and that the season was a springboard for a further, more competitive challenge for promotion next season. That is now up in the air.
It isn't beyond the realms of possibility that a new head coach could carry on where Monk started and get Leeds again competing at the sharp end of the division. But it would have been all the more straightforward with the continuity of the same head coach at the helm, and a very good one at that. Leeds have seen more than anyone the detrimental effect chopping and changing managers has and it is little coincidence that all three of the promoted managers from the Championship were in their second season at their clubs, all benefiting from continuity and the luxury of a full summer to set their squad up as they wanted.
The names linked with the vacancy have inevitably been varied. Aitor Karanka, the former Middlesbrough boss who gained promotion from the second tier in 2016 remains the favourite, thanks largely to Victor Orta, Middlesbrough's former technical director who is being linked with the same role at Elland Road.
Claudio Ranieri is a name that refuses to go away and Michael Laudrup is a name that has suddenly appeared from nowhere. The pressure now falls on Radrizanni to fix this situation, navigate through the list of options and identify the man capable of building on what was laid last season, whilst also addressing the shortfalls of a squad that was overly reliant on Chris Wood for goals and a midfield that struggled to dominate matches. A big ask, but being the sole owner of Leeds United brings big responsibility, and he needs to pass this early test to show he means business.
