Monday 27 October 2014 14:03, UK
Darko Milanic claims he has not been officially sacked by Leeds United, despite the club announcing he was no longer in charge at Elland Road.
Leeds' controversial Italian owner Massimo Cellino parted company with Milanic on Saturday just minutes after the 2-1 home defeat to Wolves.
Milanic lasted just six games and 32 days in charge of Leeds after leaving Sturm Graz in September to take over at the Championship club.
In those six games in charge Milanic failed to pick up a win losing three and drawing the other three games, but the Slovenian says he is on gardening leave rather than being sacked.
Despite his spell at Leeds being brought to an abrupt end, Milanic insists he has no regrets about taking the job and felt he deserved more support from Cellino.
"My contract was not terminated, I'm on paid leave," Milanic told Radio Slovenija. "During this time I must be ready all the time to once again take over the team, if requested by the owner.
"My contract continues to run and I'm on vacation. I signed for two years and I will not terminate my contract.
"In six games I made a big step forward. It is true that we have had bad results, but we should win more points, we played better than results show.
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
"Just before my last match I could hear praises from all side how compact Leeds is now, how the situation is improving.
"Cellino told that I'm a loser? He should look at my CV...
"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."
Leeds Academy boss Neil Redfearn is poised to take charge of the club on a full-time basis after going undefeated in his most recent stint as caretaker-boss with three wins and a draw.
But former Leeds player John Hendrie, who played with Redfearn at Barnsley, believes he must be wary about taking the job.
“He knows the football club, its history, the young players, the foreign players and he has a rapport among the supporters,” Hendrie said.
“There’s a feel-good factor around him and he’ll embrace it as well, but what he has to be careful is if it goes pear-shaped?
“He’s in a strong position at the moment and if I was him, given Cellino’s record for sacking managers, I would want a clause in the contract that says he can go back to his academy job, in which he’s doing a sterling job.”
