Carlos dives in for Swans
CARLOS CARVALHAL reckons managing Swansea will be easy compared to some of his previous jobs.
The 52-year-old was a shock appointment at the Welsh club yesterday, less than a week after being axed by Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.
Carvalhal will take charge of his first game for the Premier League’s bottom club at Watford tomorrow.
But the Portuguese boss (below) insists he has been in far bigger holes as a manager before.
“It was hard at Besiktas,” he said. “The vice-president was in jail, the sporting director was in jail, and we didn’t get paid for four months.
“I found myself on my own in a strange country and coaching the team of a sporting director who was in prison. Then, when he came out, he wanted to
take over again. I spent a month sleeping at the club’s academy, which I also did when I first went to Sheffield Wednesday, and I had to wait for the vice-president to come out of jail to get paid.
“When I arrived in Turkey nobody knew me, but after three months they were singing songs to me.
“It was the same when I arrived at Sheffield Wednesday.
“The fans were asking, ‘Who is this guy? What is he doing?’ They wanted a big name, but after three months again they were singing in the stands.
“I was really pleased and proud when that happened. Now I believe people know me a little more, but I want to show my worth to them.”
Carvalhal has agreed a deal until the end of the season and met his players for the first time yesterday.
He said: “I want to push my players from the beginning and got up at 4am and drove to Swansea.
“I felt I must show my face, show I’m a leader and show that I’m afraid of nothing.”
He will discuss Swans favourite Leon Britton’s future with him today after the midfield player had a spell in temporary charge following the sacking of Paul Clement last week.
He added: “Leon has a lot of respect at the club, so I am sure he will have a position.”