Cellino 'very embarrassed' for Leeds supporters after Brighton thrashing
Massimo Cellino confirmed he asked Steve Evans not to speak to the press after Leeds United lost 4-0 to Brighton in the Championship.
Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino says he was "very embarrassed" by the team's 4-0 Championship thrashing at Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday, but Steve Evans' job appears safe.
Evans did not speak to the press after the heavy defeat and Cellino confirmed he told the Leeds head coach to skip post-match interviews as he has been "talking too much" recently.
Cellino, who reportedly left the Brighton game at half-time, has sacked his head coach six times in just over two years as Leeds' owner.
But when asked if Evans' job was under threat due to the result, Cellino told Sky Sports News: "Come on. That is not the problem. I wish it was just this problem.
"We have a problem because we are in an emergency moment.
"We have five players out and I didn't speak with him after the game because we were both very disappointed and very embarrassed about what happened, but it is not just because of the coach.
"I am very embarrassed for the supporters because they really are better than this team. That is the only thing I can say.
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"At the moment we have to face that I took this club after 12 years of problems and I tried to fix everything that was left to fix.
"And you cannot repair everything that has decayed in 12 years."
Leeds are currently nine points clear of the relegation zone, while Evans' contract expires at the end of the season, and Cellino added: "The last few weeks he has been talking too much about the future, his contract, the players.
"He has to focus on the game. We are missing four or five players from the first-team squad and we are in an emergency - and instead of complaining we must just focus and try to play altogether and not just complain in the media."