Leeds United have suspended the assistant coach, Steve Thompson, a controversial decision carried out by the director of football, Nicola Salerno.
Thompson, a close ally of the head coach, Neil Redfearn, has been with Leeds since December after moving from Huddersfield Town. The pair played together at Bolton Wanderers.
Leeds have been in good form in recent weeks and have climbed to mid-table security in the Championship, despite the club’s Italian owner, Massimo Cellino, being barred until the end of the season after falling foul of the Football League’s owners’ and directors’ test. Cellino hired Salerno as director of football last summer, having previously worked together at Cagliari.
A Leeds statement said: “The director of football, Nicola Salerno, has today (2 April) suspended the assistant coach Steve Thompson from his duties at the club. This is an internal matter and the club will make no further comment on this internal issue.”
