CARV UP CAN WAIT

PREM LEAGUE Swans will get their chance

CARLOS CARVALHAL has told his Swansea players to prove they deserve to stay.

The Portuguese boss will assess his new squad at Watford today and in Tuesday’s home game with Tottenham before deciding how many players he needs to sign in the January window.

Swansea are rock bottom, five points from safety, but their new manager wants his current squad to prove they have a future.

Carvalhal said: “The first step is to try to give confidence to the players and give them the opportunity to show what they can do.

“If we change things and the answer is not what we expect, then, after this, we will try to improve the team in January.

“The clock is ticking, that’s absolutely correct, but we can’t do anything until January 1. So we have to try to give confidence to the players here first.

“They need to show commitment. After that, we will take decisions. We have talked about the possibility of bringing in players if we need it.

“The chairman was open about that, but let’s see the weaknesses in the team first. It’s very early to talk about transfers.”

Carvalhal was sacked by Sheffield Wednesday on Christmas Eve, but was back in work on Thursday and believes he can have an immediate impact.

The 52-year-old has been boosted by the return to training of striker Wilfried Bony following a hamstring injury.

A decision will be made on whether the Ivorian faces the Hornets, but the game at Vicarage Road comes too soon for midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, who has a calf problem.

Carvalhal added: “We are five points adrift and the team aren’t playing good football. They aren’t scoring or creating chances.

“I’ve seen a lot of things in football. When you change some things, when you create a new dynamic, the players can surprise you and they can change to another level.”

Carvalhal has never managed in the Premier League and faces a tough task to make the experience a lengthy one.

He added: “My staff and I will take this opportunity with both hands. We will work very hard, like we did in the past.

“We do this because we want to work. We will be here from morning to night because it’s what we like to do.

“We will prepare well and try to improve things because it’s a good opportunity for us to show our abilities.

“We’re sure we are more than ready to work in the Premier League.”