I never feared the sack, says Owls boss Carvalhal

The Owls won just once in their first seven Championship outings under Carvalhal, a sequence of results which the much-travelled Portuguese head coach accepts could have ended with the axe in other countries he has worked.

The 3-1 home defeat to Middlesbrough on August 29 was a low point, but improved displays on trips to Burnley and Bolton finally set the groundwork for three wins in a week (against Fulham, Newcastle United and Brentford).

“I have a very supportive chairman but probably after the Middlesbrough game, in different countries that I have worked and in the same situation, the chairman probably would have fired me,” admitted the former Braga, Besiktas and Maritimo boss Carvalhal.

“I never feared (for my job). In different countries, they would probably have changed the coach. But we have started doing well.

“I have very big self confidence. When, in the past, a club has put me out, I have never stayed absolutely nervous. I said ‘you lose a very good coach’. I think like this all the time and people can criticise me but it is my way.

“All the time we have believed in what we are doing and we have shown signs that we are getting better game by game.

“At this moment, the team is in a good way. If you don’t disturb too much our focus, we can still do well.”

Chairman Dejphon Chansiri gave little-known Carvalhal his chance in English football in the summer, replacing Stuart Gray, and he won over sceptics with some attractive football.

“He understands the work that we are doing and supports me all the time,” he said. “He is a quiet personality. He believes in the work and that we work hard. He has supported me 100 per cent.

“He knows we come in very early in the morning and leave late to go home. He knows we are working very hard.

“The people who work hard usually get the results. Sometimes you don’t.”

Carvalhal has faith in his ability, built up over two decades after he started caoching aged 32.

“I have a lot of experience in football,” he said. “I went to university so I prepared to become a coach.

“At 32, I had a UEFA licence and studied for five years at university explicitly football. I prepared to become a coach.

“I have self confidence because I know this is my job. If you asked me about politics, maybe I can’t give you and answer. If you ask me about football, I can all the questions you throw at me on training, methodology and tactics. I’m not afraid of football questions.

“If you have that confidence and know you have done special things in the past with other teams, then you believe in yourselves. Some people may think this is arrogance.

“There is a line between self confidence and arrogance. I am not an arrogant person. I am exactly on the line. I never change because I am not better than other people. But I know I am very good coach.

“I believe in my work and what I can do. I am very serious. I take my work very seriously.”

Fernando Forestieri is in contention to make his comeback for Wednesday tomorrow.

The striker netted on his home debut against Fulham a fortnight ago, but was withdrawn at half-time due to a calf injury.

The Argentine was not included for the League Cup win at Newcastle United (a game he would have missed anyway because he was cup-tied), plus last Saturday’s 2-1 Championship win at Brentford.

But the 25-year-old striker has trained this week and could resume his partnership with Atdhe Nuhiu when the Owls entertain Preston North End on Saturday at Hillsborough.

Left-back Daniel Pudil is less certain of recovering from an injury which forced him off in the first-half at Griffin Park.

“He (Forestieri) is training normal but we don’t know about Pudil,” said Owls head coach Carlos Carvalhal. “He was involved in light training. He will train in the morning. It is possible Daniel could play.”