Garry Monk believes he can be the manager who dodges the bullets fired by Leeds United’s trigger-happy owner Massimo Cellino – at least for a while.
Former Swansea City boss Monk – who was fired by his friend and chairman Huw Jenkins seven months ago – is now working for the serial sacker Cellino.
The controversial Italian has got through seven managers in two years since buying the Yorkshire club in 2014, but Monk insists he has no concerns about an early departure or that Cellino will mess in team affairs.
Monk, who was appointed on Thursday afternoon said: “The short shelf-life for Leeds managers is not my focus. My focus is on the football, on the players here, and what we need to do; putting a plan in place to work on from the first day of pre-season.
“Whatever happens, it’s results that decide any manager’s fate. No one will expect more from me than myself. You can’t win every week but you have to put in consistent, exiting performances and a way of working, and get everyone on board. That’s my job.”
Monk, 37, was touted as a future England manager during a record-breaking 2014-15 season at Swansea, before ultimately being sacked last December after a run of one win in 11 games.
He had been linked with various jobs since being dismissed by the Swans, including the managerial posts at Aston Villa, Fulham and Bristol City.
Cellino has repeatedly said he wants to take Leeds into the Premier League and Monk confirmed that was his and the club’s ambition next season, despite finishing 13th last term.
“We all want to move forward and get into the Premier League. I’m an ambitious person and this is an ambitious club. After speaking to the owner about the football and the way he wants to take the club forward, it matched my ambition.”
Nor does Monk expect Cellino to interfere with managerial selections or signings.
He added: “Having spoken to the owner, it wasn’t even a discussion. It wasn’t even part of the questioning or thought process.
“He made that very clear from the very start, that he’s never done that in the past and that he doesn’t have any intention of doing that in the future.
“He wants to work with me. I felt a really good connection straight away with him and everyone at this club in this short space of time.
“We will be working together, we will be on the same page with the same focus and we will stay focused on that.
“After speaking with the owner deeply about football and about the way he wants to take the club forward – his knowledge of football was very, very good and very extensive – it matched mine and it matched my ambition.”