Leeds United winger Daniel James has revealed that Carlos Carvalhal kicked him out of the Swansea City first team changing room after he was late for a pre-match team meeting.
James came through the youth set-up at the Welsh giants and made his debut in an FA Cup tie against Notts County.
The winger was increasingly being integrated into the first team squad at Swansea, with high hopes attached to him.
However, early in his time at Swansea he fell foul of then boss Carvalhal and paid the price.
James found himself late for a pre-match team meeting and despite apologising to the Portuguese and being reassured that all was well, then found he had been ejected from the first team changing room and sent back to the Under-23s.
“I did get sent out of the changing room once”, the winger said on LUTV.
“[It was] Carlos Carvahal. He wasn’t actually that strict, he was a nice guy, funny.
“He always came out with crazy quotes after games.
“I was a young lad, in the first team changing room; probably didn’t deserve to be in there because I wasn’t really being in the squads, I was just training with them.
“I made my debut against Notts County in the FA Cup, scored on my debut, was absolutely buzzing.
“We had Tottenham the next game at home. Kick-off was at 12 so we had to meet pre-match at 12 at the stadium. We go to the stadium, park there and get a bus to the training ground, which is two minutes away, for pre-match.
“I basically woke up, my phone was out of charge. I charged it, it’s 9:15; everyone’s calling me, obviously I’m a young lad and panicking. They said basically get yourself here now, we’re going to go over, so meet us at the training ground.
“I’m thinking I’m going to have to walk in here now, I’ll be late, I’m a young lad. I got a call half way there to say I’m not in the squad now, which was so tough, it was silly from me.
“I went to see him after the game, apologised. I was going with Wales the next day, so he said it’s fine, don’t worry about it. I said I’m really sorry, it won’t happen again and I got back and all my stuff had been moved from the first team changing room to the 23s.
“It was super embarrassing, but I learned a lot from that.”
James remained at Swansea until a big money move to Manchester United, where he struggled to make an impact and was then sold to long-time suitors Leeds.
Now a key part of Daniel Farke’s squad at Elland Road, the Wales international is hoping to be back in the Premier League next season with the Whites.
Carvalhal meanwhile is without a job, last managing Greek giants Olympiacos for just eleven games before being sacked in December.
