Carvalhal left Sheffield Wednesday in December and subsequently joined Swansea City.
Carlos Carvalhal has admitted it was important that Sheffield Wednesday appointed a new manager. Carvalhal takes his Swansea City side to Hillsborough in the FA Cup on Saturday, for what will be his first reunion with Owls since leaving them by mutual consent on Christmas Eve.
The Portuguese led Wednesday to back-to-back play-off finishes in his first two seasons there, but found his third one much tougher going.
A plague of injuries saw Carvalhal’s squad seriously stretched in his final days at Hillsborough, and forced him to call upon several players whom he had previously disregarded.
Speaking to Swansea’s official Youtube channel at a press conference on Thursday, the 52-year-old – who is expecting a ‘normal’ reaction from the Owls’ faithful – said: “It was important that a new manager [Jos Luhukay] came, because one or another player that in two and a half years wasn’t exactly the first option – even though we had a good connection with all the players – they feel that they are first option with the new manager now. It’s normal.
“It was good for the club and it was good for the players also because they felt something different.
“So I think he’s in the process of making the team better, I think they are progressing. And when they are back with some important players that they have in the squad the team will be one of the strongest in the competition.”
Luhukay has already made Sheffield Wednesday much harder to beat in his first six weeks at Hillsborough, and has seen them keep six clean sheets from a possible nine in all competitions.
The Dutchman has yet to call upon 10 first team players due to injury – the majority of whom had been key under Carvalhal.
Does Carvalhal deserve a positive reception when Swansea visit Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
