Paul Heckingbottom: Leeds United sack head coach after less than four months
- From the section Leeds United
Leeds United have sacked head coach Paul Heckingbottom after only four months in charge.
The 40-year-old won just four of his 16 games, having left Barnsley to replace Thomas Christiansen on 6 February.
Leeds ended the season 13th in the Championship table.
Heckingbottom's departure means Leeds will start the season with a new manager for a fifth successive year - and whoever takes over will be the club's 10th boss since 2014.
Only one of the club's previous eight managers, Garry Monk in 2016-17, has lasted a whole campaign in the role.
Managing director Angus Kinnear told the club website: "On behalf of the board of directors at Leeds United I would like to thank Paul for the commitment and passion he has demonstrated since he joined the club earlier this year.
"Paul came to us during a difficult period in the season and has conducted himself in an exemplary manner despite results not going as any of us had hoped.
"Our objective is to bring in a head coach with more experience who can help us reach the goals we have talked about since we became custodians of the club last summer. We are confident of making a quick appointment."
From Oakwell to Myanmar
Leeds sacked Dane Christiansen in February after a disastrous start to 2018 saw them knocked out of the FA Cup by League Two Newport and fail to win any of their first five league games of the year.
Heckingbottom was a surprise appointment given he had only extended his deal with Yorkshire rivals Barnsley the previous week and the Oakwell club said they were "shocked" by his departure.
He could not arrest the club's slide down the table, winning just one of his first eight games, and the campaign ended in controversy with a much-criticised post-season tour of Myanmar arranged by owner Andrea Radrizzani.
Bielsa next?
Argentine Marcelo Bielsa has been widely reported as the favourite to replace Heckingbottom.
The 62-year-old is highly regarded by both Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, with the latter calling him his "football father".
He has spent time in charge of Argentina, Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Lille but has been out of the game since being sacked by the French side in December.
