By Pranav Shahaney

25th May, 2023 | 3:40pm

Karen Carney namedrops Marcelo Bielsa as she delivers Leeds United relegation verdict

Karen Carney has expressed her astonishment for Leeds United to move from Marcelo Bielsa to Sam Allardyce in a matter of one season.

With the Whites, Everton and Leicester battling relegation and two of them set to go down, Carney does not see this as the end of the world for them.

She believes that it could give those two sides the opportunity to reset and come back up stronger.

In her Guardian column, she wrote, “On Sunday all three clubs are playing home games that are very winnable. Everton face Bournemouth, who have nothing to play for; Leicester play West Ham, whose minds may be on the Europa Conference League final; and an indifferent Spurs travel to Elland Road. There is no better place to play a match of this importance than in front of a raucous home crowd, desperately willing you on.

“Sacking a manager is stick or twist and may or may not pay off. Leeds have created instability, and going from Marcelo Bielsa to Allardyce in just over 14 months is a big change in direction. For Allardyce, four matches is a very small window in which to turn things around, especially when the recruitment was not designed around him.

“Whichever clubs go down, all three have to reset. They need to create a clear structure and plan, spelling out to players and fans what they hope to achieve and not divert from that. Getting relegated is not the end of the world – it is part of football’s cycle. What is more important is how a club reacts. If they get it wrong, that is when the real problems can start.”

Strange

Carney kept saying that Bielsa wasn’t the right man for the job and now when they’ve ended up with Sam Allardyce, she’s questioning that.

He surely is more tried and tested than the Argentine, who in her words, tired the players out, and did not deserve to get promotion and was assisted by the Covid break.

It is looking highly difficult for Leeds to avoid the drop as they’ve got the toughest of the three teams on the final day.

No matter how the season has transpired, Spurs do have a very good team on paper and they possess names that can turn the game around in an instance.

Harry Kane will probably be playing his last game for the club and will be looking to go out on a high.

Ryan Mason will be looking to establish his managerial career and would want to make an impression in what appears to be his final game in charge of the Lilywhites.

In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay claims that an international player at Elland Road has no place at the club next season and a summer transfer is on the cards.