Sheffield Wednesday: Patient Carlos puts his stamp on side

The Portuguese head coach, a surprise choice to succeed Stuart Gray last summer, oversaw just one win from the Owls’ opening seven Championship fixtures. In mid-September, Wednesday were 19th in the standings.

But Carvalhal quickly rectifed their form and his team go into tonight’s clash at table-topping Hull City lying in sixth position, trailing the automatic promotion places by eight points.

“At Beskitas, the previous coach was Bernd Schuster and they had a team, so I didn’t create a team,” he said. “I stamped my style on the team, but most of the players were there. I worked with the team I had.

“At Sporting, I took over in October and season was already up and running. The club had economical problems, so we we didnt bring that many players in during the transfer window.

“Here I started from the beginning. I chose the players, and when you do that you choose a style, a philiosophy, a way to play.

“Patience is the same, a bit like a baby in your hands which you have created, rather than adopted a child.

“The love is the same, of course, but here we have been building from the start.

“We have grown up together, something we have done together, the players, coaches, fans, the atmosphere we have created.

“The way we play is attractive to our fans, they are happy, and people want to see Sheffield Wednesday play. Everything is improving at the club.

“It’s a big difference between Sheffield Wednesday from the past - the last 15 years - and the present club.”

Carvalhal reckons February has been their “hardest month” of the season. Wednesday have already played Burnley, Birmingham City, Brentford, Preston North End and QPR.