This Cellino decision was madness and nearly made as little sense as Hockaday — View — Football League World 28/4/24

BY JAMES REEVES

Darko Milanic spent an underwhelming 32-day spell in charge of Leeds United in 2014.

The Massimo Cellino era is one that Leeds United supporters will be desperate to forget.

Cellino arrived Elland Road in chaotic fashion, infamously sacking manager Brian McDermott on transfer deadline day in January 2014 despite not having officially taken over the club, and that would be a sign of things to come.

McDermott was reinstated the following day, but it would only be a short reprieve for the former Reading manager, and he was sacked in the summer following a 15th-placed finish.

Whites fans were stunned when Cellino appointed Dave Hockaday, who had only previously managed Forest Green Rovers in the National League, as McDermott's replacement, and as expected, he did not last long in the hot seat.

Hockaday was sacked in late August after just six games in charge, but that was not the end of the managerial instability at Elland Road, and his replacement, Darko Milanic, endured a similarly short tenure.

Former Primorje, Gorica, Maribor and Sturm Graz boss Milanic was appointed as Leeds manager in September 2014.

Milanic was a risky choice considering his lack of Championship experience, and particularly after Neil Redfearn had enjoyed a successful spell as caretaker, picking up 10 points from four games.

If supporters were concerned by the appointment of Milanic, Cellino did little to allay those fears, describing the 56-year-old as a "very cool guy", but admitting he did not know why he had chosen him.

"He's just arrived. We've been waiting for him about 15 days," Cellino told the BBC.

"I don't know (why I've chosen him). Coaches are like watermelons. You find out about them when you open them.

"His particularly qualities? He's good looking, what can I tell you?"

As it turned out, Cellino was not impressed with his latest coach, and after drawing three and losing three of his six games in charge, Milanic was sacked in October after just 32 days at the helm.

Milanic was dismissed just minutes after a 2-1 home defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers, but there was confusion in the days after his dismissal, with the Slovenian claiming he had not officially been sacked.

In an interview on Radio Slovenija, Milanic revealed that he had not been sacked, but instead placed on gardening leave, and he said he "must be ready all the time to once again take over the team, if requested by the owner".

Milanic insisted that he believed Leeds were making progress under his guidance, and he admitted he was disappointed not to have been given more time by Cellino.

"Cellino told that I'm a loser? He should look at my CV," Milanic said, quoted via Sky Sports.

"Despite everything I do not believe I made a mistake by joining Leeds.

"I just wish that somebody would believe in me. Sometimes manager just need some support."

Cellino did not turn back to Milanic during the remainder of the season, with Redfearn being appointed on a permanent basis, but he failed to replicate the impact he made after Hockaday's exit, and the Whites finished in a disappointing 15th place in the Championship.

Milanic returned to Maribor after his departure from Elland Road, guiding the club to two titles and qualification to the group stages of the Champions League, and he has also gone on to manage Slovan Bratislava, Pafos, Anorthosis Famagusta and Baniyas.

His record after leaving Leeds does raise questions over whether he should have been given more of a chance by Cellino, although it seems unlikely that any manager would have been able to achieve success under the controversial Italian.

Cellino's time as Leeds owner came to an end in May 2017 when Andrea Radrizzani completed a full takeover of the club, but it would not be long before he returned to football, buying Italian outfit Brescia later that year.

Unsurprisingly, Cellino has maintained his reputation for hiring and firing managers at Brescia, but after having five bosses in 2023, there has been a period of relative stability at the Stadio Mario Rigamonti, with Rolando Maran remaining in charge since November.

Reports earlier this month claimed that Cellino was interested in exploring a deal to buy League One side Charlton Athletic, but Addicks supporters will be desperately hoping that is just speculation with this one story a long line of disasters at Leeds.