Former Swansea manager Garry Monk was given one of the most precarious jobs in English football when he was named as the head coach of Leeds United on Thursday.

Monk is the seventh Leeds boss in just over two years since controversial Italian owner Massimo Cellino bought the club, based in the northern English city of the same name.

Leeds were a major force in the English game in the late 1960s and early 1970s under manager Don Revie.

But they are currently in the Championship, English football's second division, having been relegated from the Premier League in 2004 before dropping down to the third tier in 2007.

Leeds returned to the Championship in 2010 and now hope Monk, sacked by Premier League Swansea at the end of last year, can take them back to the top flight.

The 37-year-old Monk, a Swansea defender before becoming their manager, has signed a one-year rolling contract. He replaces Steve Evans, whose exit from Elland Road was confirmed on Tuesday.

"It feels great to be here," Monk told Leeds' website.

"I'm extremely honoured to join Leeds United Football Club -- we all know the history of the club and the standing it has in English football.

"I want to be challenged and really get my teeth into a big project. That was the underlying factor throughout the whole process and that's the reason why I'm here.

Monk, appointed by Swansea in May 2014, took the south Wales side to their highest Premier League finish of eighth in his first full season.

But a run of just one win in his last 11 games saw him sacked in 2016.

"I'm very pleased to welcome Garry Monk to Leeds United," said Cellino. "Garry is part of a new generation of coaches in England and has a lot of potential to develop, which is something we were targeting for the new season."

Former Cagliari owner Cellino was recently charged by England's governing Football Association over an alleged breach of its agent regulations -- one of a series of off-field incidents that overshadowed Leeds' on-field performances since his arrival in Yorkshire.

Cellino's ownership has been widely criticised, with one group of Leeds fans campaigning for him to make good on of his oft-repeated threat to sell the club by campaigning for him to leave under the banner of 'Time to Go Massimo'.