Leeds appoint Evans as Rosler´s successor

Championship side Leeds United have appointed Steve Evans as head coach.

Former Rotherham United manager Evans has signed a rolling contract to replace Uwe Rosler, who became the fifth boss to be sacked at Elland Road during Massimo Cellino’s tumultuous spell as owner.

The official announcement was made on Monday, shortly after the Football League released a statement confirming that Cellino had been disqualified after failing to pay tax on the importation of a Land Rover.

Evans guided Rotherham to consecutive promotions before keeping them in the Championship last season, only to reach an agreement to part company with the club last month.

“I’m honoured and proud, but the supporters just want to see what happens on the pitch,” Evans said. “The first thing we need to do is win some points and win some football matches.

“All I can ask the Leeds United supporters to do is to give me the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps I wouldn’t be the chosen manager for many Leeds United fans – I had butterflies in my stomach driving into Thorp Arch this morning.

“I can understand why they may think that, but the only thing that matters to me is what happens on the grass.

“As I proved at Rotherham and as I proved at Crawley, if I win football matches then people will embrace me. It’s always about winning football matches.”

Evans took training at Leeds’ Thorp Arch training ground on Monday ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Fulham, with Rosler’s assistant Rob Kelly and first-team coach Julian Darby having been placed on gardening leave.

Ex-Brentford and Wigan Athletic boss Rosler was appointed as successor to Neil Redfearn in May on a two-year contract, but won only two of 11 league games in charge.

Saturday’s 2-1 home loss to Brighton and Hove Albion was Leeds’ third consecutive reverse and left them 18th in the table.