Carlos Carvalhal has become the latest foreign manager to criticise the Football League’s decision of keeping the Historic “Christmas rush”, during an interview with Sky Sports.
Carvalhal’s Sheffield Wednesday thrashed Birmingham City at Hillsborough 3-0 on Saturday, but looked lethargic and restless during their display against Middlesbrough where they narrowly lost 1-0.
“Congratulations to Boro to win the game, but I can’t talk about this game without talking about the environment,” he said.
“We contacted the Football League, I don’t know if it was formal contact, but we contacted the league and they said they could do nothing.”
He continued by saying that everyone needs to be in the same condition for the match to be a fair one.
It’s not good for the competition, a serious competition, as we must put in the minimum condition of three days. That’s the minimum we should give teams, or play two days and everyone is in the same condition.”
Carvalhal isn’t the first manager to complain about the packed schedule. Louis Van Gaal of Manchester United is famously against the fixtures.
“I’m not happy but I cannot change it. I don’t agree with it because I don’t think that it is good for the players that they play another match within two days. In December, it shall be like that,” he said last year.
Although their loss against Boro is a disappointing one, Wednesday sit a point outside the play-off positions and have shown clear intent for promotion. The Owls take on Fulham next week.
