Darko Milanic: Leeds United part company with head coach
Last updated on .From the section Leeds United
Championship side Leeds United have parted company with head coach Darko Milanic after just 32 days at the club.
BBC Radio Leeds reports that academy manager Neil Redfearn, who will take training on Monday, will replace the Slovenian on a permanent basis.
Milanic, 46, was appointed on 23 September but failed to win any of his six games in charge.
Leeds are 18th in the Championship, five points above the relegation zone, after Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Wolves.
Previous Leeds boss Dave Hockaday also lasted only six matches before he was sacked by Leeds owner Massimo Cellino, who dismissed 36 managers during 22 years in charge of Italian side Cagliari.
Milanic's reign is the shortest of any permanent manager in Leeds's history, beating the joint record of Brian Clough and Jock Stein - who each lasted 44 days.
| Leeds under Milanic |
|---|
| 27 September: Brentford 2-0 Leeds (L) |
| 1 October: Leeds 0-0 Reading (D) |
| 4 October: Leeds 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday (D) |
| 17 October: Rotherham 2-1 Leeds (L) |
| 21 October: Norwich 1-1 Leeds (D) |
| 25 October: Leeds 1-2 Wolves (L) |
"I want to apologise to the supporters, they deserve better results," said Cellino in a quote on the club's Twitter page, where a short statement confirmed Milanic's departure.
The former Slovenia international appeared on course for his first win when his side took the lead against Wolves at Elland Road, but second-half goals from James Henry and Leon Clarke condemned them to a sixth league defeat of the campaign.
He drew three and lost three of his six games at the helm.
Leeds were unbeaten in four matches under Redfearn, who took temporary charge following Hockaday's dismissal in August.
The 49-year-old, who played in the Premier League for Barnsley, Charlton and Bradford, has never held a permanent managerial position at a Football League club.
His only previous experience as a full-time boss came in spells at Scarborough and Northwich Victoria.
Cellino considered Redfearn for the head coach role at Leeds before appointing Milanic, the Italian deciding Leeds needed a foreign coach.