Leeds owner Massimo Cellino replaces Uwe Rosler with Steven Evans and is immediately banned by Football League... again

Ban comes as the second time Cellino has failed the Football League's Owners' and Directors' test and came minutes after he appointed Evans as Leeds' new manager

Leeds owner Massimo Cellino (Getty Images)

The turbulent reign of Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino took more dramatic twists today. In the morning, the Italian sacked head coach Uwe Rösler and replaced him with Steve Evans. By late afternoon, Cellino had been banned from running the club by the Football League for the second time in a year.

Cellino had earlier revealed he had fired Rösler because: “I wanted them to play heavy rock football but instead it was like country music.”

Rösler, appointed in May, became the fifth Leeds head coach to be sacked by the Italian in 17 months. He won twice in 11 Championship matches and left the club 18th in the table, three points above the relegation zone.

“I watched the game on Saturday [a 2-1 home defeat by Brighton] and in the second half, we were just trying not to lose. We were not trying to win. That is not good enough,” Cellino said. “I did my best to help Uwe, but in the end, I could not see even a patch of blue in the sky, just cloud, cloud and cloud.”

Former Rotherham manager Steve Evans has been named the new Leeds manager (Getty Images)

Cellino, who sacked 36 head coaches in his 22 years in charge of Italian side Cagliari, added that he used to “hate” Rosler’s replacement, Evans, who departed Rotherham at the end of last month after leading the club to successive promotions. “I used to hate him because he is a fighter,” Cellino added. “I didn’t like playing against him because he gives his teams his personality.”

Evans, who has signed a rolling contract until 30 June, believes he is the man to bring stability to the club. “I’m humbled and honoured to manage this giant of a club,” he told BBC Radio Leeds. “Someone has got to get it right here. Why not me?”

Cellino, meanwhile, was found guilty of an offence under Italian tax legislation relating to the non-payment of VAT on the importation of a Land Rover vehicle, leading him to be disqualified under the League’s owners’ and directors’ test.