LEEDS, England - Leeds appointed Steve Evans as its new coach on Monday, just hours after the struggling Championship club parted company with his predecessor, Uwe Rosler.

On a day of turmoil at the Yorkshire club, the move came as the Football League announced that Leeds' owner Massimo Cellino had been disqualified after failing its test for owners and directors.

Leeds issued a statement saying that Evans, who was coach of Championship rival Rotherham until last month, had signed "a rolling contract until June 30 at Elland Road after taking training for the first time on Monday morning."

Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to Brighton was Leeds' third consecutive defeat. It left the Yorkshire club in 18th place in the 24-team second tier of English football, just three points above the relegation zone.

The 46-year-old Rosler had previously managed Wigan and Brentford before taking over at Leeds.

Evans, who left Rotherham after three years at the club, said: "The first thing we need to do is win some points and win some football matches."

However, he acknowledged that coming from a rival Yorkshire club might not go down well with Leeds fans.

"All I can ask the Leeds United supporters to do is to give me the benefit of the doubt," Evans said. "Perhaps I wouldn't be the chosen manager for many Leeds United fans."

But he added: "As I proved at Rotherham and as I proved at Crawley, if I win football matches then people will embrace me. It's always about winning football matches."

Monday also witnessed a change off the pitch after Cellino was banned by the Football League, following a conviction in his native Italy for a tax offence.

"In June, Mr Cellino was found guilty by a Court in Sardinia of an offence under Italian tax legislation relating to the non-payment of VAT on the importation of a Land Rover vehicle," the League said in a statement. "This resulted in a fine of €40,000 and the confiscation of the vehicle in question.

"Having considered detailed legal advice and the Court's reasoned judgment, as supplied by Mr Cellino, the Board determined that the decision of the Italian Court constitutes a disqualifying condition under the Owners' and Directors' test."

The League said Cellino has until Oct. 28 to appeal the decision.

A force in domestic and European football from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, Leeds has struggled over the past decade and the team has yet to win at Elland Road this season.