Leeds United goalscorer Chris Wood insists it is imperative for the club to “move on” from the shock departure of manager Garry Monk.
The Championship club were rocked by the news that the 38-year-old has vacated his post as manager at Elland Road last week, after just twelve months in charge.
Monk was coming to the end of his one-year deal, but the club were keen to offer him extended terms after he lead the club to a seventh-placed finish, only for Monk to step aside in a surprise turn of events.
Wood was one of Monk’s most consistent and most reliable performers last season, scoring 30 goals from 48 appearances, with the New Zealand international evidently benefitting a great deal from Monk’s ideas and approach.
But speaking to the Press Association, as quoted by Daily Mail trainee reporter Amitai Winehouse on his personal Twitter account on Thursday, the 25-year-old has urged the club to “move on” from their “unfortunate” setback.
'It's unfortunate that (Monk couldn't continue). It's football, it's life, we've got to move on from it.' #LUFC
— Amitai Winehouse (@awinehouse1) June 1, 2017
He said: “We’ve got the foundations, you have to build on it. We can’t be tearing those down to start new ones.
“It’s unfortunate that [Monk couldn’t continue). It’s football, it’s life, we’ve got to move on from it.”
Monk looked to have brought to an end years of turmoil at Leeds United, having become the club’s seventh manager since the arrival of owner Massimo Cellino in April 2014.
Cellino has too since been ousted from his role at the club, with Andrea Radrizzani taking full ownership of the Yorkshire club at the end of last month.
But most importantly, Leeds shook-off a run of form that has seen them finish no higher than 13th in the Championship table since the 2010-11 season, even if they once again failed to secure promotion.
Leeds are still considering their options before appointing a successor to Monk, with ex-Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka and ex-Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri’s two names on their shortlist.