Wednesday 24 September 2014 10:14, UK
Leeds United have confirmed the appointment of Darko Milanic as their new head coach.
The 46-year-old Slovenian - who willl be presented to the media at 11am on Wednesday- quit as head coach of Austrian side Sturm Graz on Sunday and he took training with the Leeds squad on Tuesday morning before signing a two-year contract.
Cellino sacked Dave Hockaday and assistant Junior Lewis on August 28 after only six games in charge, and held initial talks with Milanic eight days ago as Neil Redfearn acted as caretaker boss.
The Italian told Sky Sports News HQ: "Yes, we agreed a two-year deal. He's just arrived today. We've been waiting for him about 15 days.
"I don't know (why I've chosen him). The coaches are like watermelons. You find out about them when you open them.
"His particular qualities? He's good looking, what can I tell you?
"He was a very good counter-attacking defender with Partizan Belgrade and Sturm Graz, and a good coach with Maribor for four years and took the club to the Champions League and Europa League, and he made it good as player and coach and he likes the Premier League.
"He gave up his place in the Premier League in Austria to come to the Championship with Leeds, and we hope that the club in Leeds is a good chance for him to have a good team and an important club to run, so he can make us proud.
"He does not talk much and is very pragmatic. I like him. He is a very cool guy."
Sturm Graz announced on Sunday that Milanic had left his post after activating a buy-out clause in his three-year contract.
Serbian Novica Nikcevic, Milanic's assistant at Sturm Graz, will join him at Elland Road.
Milanic, a former Sturm Graz player, captained Slovenia at Euro 2000 and after turning to management guided Maribor to four Slovenian league titles and three Slovenian Cup wins.
He joined Sturm Graz as head coach in June 2013, steering the club to a fifth-place finish in 2013-14.
Redfearn is expected to be closely consulted by Milanic on first-team team matters during the early weeks before resuming his successful tenure as academy chief.
