Leeds United legend Eddie Gray has called on the club to appoint Garry Monk’s successor at the earliest opportunity.
Monk, who took charge of Leeds last summer and narrowly missed out on a Championship playoff spot finish this season, surprisingly decided to step down from his post earlier in the week.
Gray admitted that he was surprised with Monk’s decision, along with a lot of others, including new Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani.
The 69-year-old, who said that he was disappointed with Monk leaving Elland Road, thinks the Whites should now find their new head coach before pre-season.
“Like everybody else, I was a bit surprised but the club now have got to get something sorted out pretty quickly”, Gray told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
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“You don’t want it to be dragging on and not getting anybody in and getting players in before they are ready to come back for pre-season.
“I think it will have taken people by surprise and that’s the most difficult thing for the new owner – to try and get things put in place.
“What you have got to say is that Garry did a good job for the football club.
“It’s disappointing that he has left and everybody will feel the same.
“But the club have got think onwards and upwards – they have got to get on with it and the quicker we get on with it as a football club the better we are going to be.”
Gray went on to add that the Leeds fans, who expected Monk to stay at the club, will now want to see the Yorkshire giants appoint their new head coach as early as possible.
“The fans will be wanting to see something put in place, we have sold a lot of season tickets this year and I think the expectation level with the fans would be that Garry would stay”, he continued.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.”
Aitor Karanka, Claudio Ranieri, Walter Mazzarri and Monk's assistant Pep Clotet have been linked with the vacant managerial post at Elland Road.
