Leeds United appoint Darko Milanic as head coach

Darko Milanic won nine titles as a coach with his former club Maribor

Leeds United have appointed Slovenian Darko Milanic as their new head coach on a two-year deal.

Milanic, 46, quit Austrian side Sturm Graz on Sunday.

Leeds owner Massimo Cellino said the former Slovenia international was a "very cool guy".

"We've been waiting for him about 15 days," he said. "I don't know [why I've chosen him]. Coaches are like watermelons. You find out about them when you open them."

Cellino added: "His particularly qualities? He's good looking, what can I tell you?"

The Italian also likened coaches to watermelons when he appointed Dave Hockaday in June.

Hockaday lasted only six games before he was sacked by Cellino, who dismissed 36 managers during 22 years in charge of Italian side Cagliari.

Milanic won nine domestic trophies with Slovenia's Maribor before joining Sturm Graz in 2013.

He said on Sunday that the opportunity to coach Leeds was from "another world".

"Who knows when such an offer will come again?" he added.

Leeds are unbeaten in four games under caretaker boss Neil Redfearn, having risen to 11th in the Championship after Saturday's 3-0 win against Huddersfield.

Redfearn will now revert to his role of Academy manager and head of coaching.

Cellino, who completed his takeover of Leeds in April, sold Cagliari the following month.

Brian McDermott, who was sacked in January when Cellino was poised to buy Leeds only to be reinstated a day later, left the club by mutual consent in May.