According to Sky Sports, Swansea City are in talks over extending the contract of Portuguese boss Carlos Carvalhal. The 52-year-old’s contract with the Welsh runs out in the summer, as he only signed a short-term when he joined in December. The affable boss does have a clause in his contract that means the Welsh club can extend Carvalhal’s contract. Reportedly, they are ready to extend his contract, even if they suffer relegation at the end of the season.
Turned things around at the Liberty Stadium
Carvalhal has done an exceptional job at the Welsh club. When he replaced Paul Clement in the Swans dugout, some were saying he was being brought in because he had experience of the Championship such was the Welsh’s dire situation on his arrival.
The former Sheffield Wednesday boss made it clear from day one that the Swans were not doomed. He believed he could save the club from relegation and at the minute, he looks to be right.
Swansea may only be three points clear of the relegation zone, but there is now a belief from the fans and more importantly from the players that they will beat the drop this season.
Surviving relegation is all about confidence. The way that the Swans have played since Carvalhal’s arrival, they should be confident of beating the drop this season. The team that has played in recent months look like a different one to the one he took control of last year.
Playing a decent style of football
Carvalhal has not only helped the Swans out of the relegation zone, the team are now even playing a decent style of football to boot. When the Portuguese boss first arrived in South Wales, the Swans were the lowest scorers in the top-flight.
The Welsh side are still the joint lowest scorers in the league alongside, bottom club West Brom and Huddersfield. However, they have shown a lot more attacking threat since Carvalhal’s appointment.
The Portuguese boss is not a miracle worker, as the team he inherited badly lacked in creativity and goals. He has found a system that has at least given the Welsh side a chance of scoring goals, unlike prior to his arrival when the Swans looked impotent in attack.
Swansea has garnered a reputation for playing attacking, attractive football in their Premier League tenure. Their style of play changed under the likes of Bob Bradley and Paul Clement.
However, it could be argued that Carvalhal is a boss that sides with the football philosophy of past bosses such as Brendan Rodgers and Roberto Martinez. They are certainly easy on the eye to watch since the appointment of the Portuguese boss.
Still in the relegation dogfight
The Swans are still in the relegation dogfight, just three points above the relegation zone. However, Carvalhal’s team have a golden opportunity to move clear of the drop zone this weekend as they visit already doomed West Brom.
The Swans are underdogs at odds of 21/10 to claim a win at the Hawthorns, mainly because the Welsh side have failed to win in their last eight games in the top-flight on their travels. One win in their last 14 games on their travels in the top-flight is not a stellar record either.
The Swans have been hard to beat on their travels, though, as they have lost just two of their last nine away games in the top-flight. The fans will believe that they can improve that record in the Midlands this weekend.
I have to say, even if the Swans do suffer relegated this summer, I believe that Carvalhal should probably still stay. I do not think they will suffer the drop, but keeping Carvalhal may just give the Welsh the stability to bounce right back up.
The Portuguese boss failed to win promotion with Sheffield Wednesday. However, the Owls were not a great situation when he arrived anyway, so it was not a major failure on the boss’s part.
Swansea took a gamble in appointing Carlos Carvalhal as boss. However, he has proven in his short tenure in charge that he does have the ability to manage the club. He could also be the man to restore much-needed stability at the club, which is what the Swans will need, especially if they suffer relegation.
Does Carlos Carvalhal deserve a new deal at Swansea?
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