London (AFP) – Carlos Carvalhal became the third Premier League manager to lose his job this week when newly-relegated Swansea City announced they would not be extending his contract.
The 52-year-old Portuguese joins Sam Allardyce and David Moyes, let go by Everton and West Ham respectively on Wednesday despite both retaining their Premier League status, in losing his job.
Swansea City will begin life in the Championship with a new manager after “deciding against extending Carlos Carvalhal’s contract”, read a club statement.
Carvalhal was a surprise appointment as Paul Clement’s successor in December with Swansea adrift at the bottom of the table with a paltry 13 points — it came just three days after he left Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.
He looked to have guided them out of trouble when they won five of their first nine league games under his stewardship and rose to 13th place.
However, their form fell away completely and with a return of just three points from the last 27 on offer their descent to the second tier after a seven year stay was confirmed with a 2-1 defeat by already relegated Stoke City last Sunday.
Carvalhal had launched a whole-hearted defence of his and his backroom staff’s record prior to the Stoke match claiming if he had been appointed earlier they would have been safe.
“We’d like to put on record our thanks to Carlos for his enthusiasm, hard work and commitment since arriving at the club in December,” said ‘Swans’ chairman Huw Jenkins in a statement on the club website.
“Naturally, we are all disappointed with the club’s relegation from the Premier League, and following discussions with Carlos, we felt it was in the best interests of both parties that we move in a new direction.”
Among the names being linked with the post include former Wales boss Chris Coleman, recently sacked by Sunderland after they were relegated to the third tier, and Swedish club Ostersund’s boss Graham Potter.
