Thomas Frank insists he is happy at Brentford – but would not rule out leaving in an exclusive interview with talkSPORT.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola sung Frank’s praises after a 2-1 victory over the Bees in September and declared it was only a ‘question of time’ before the Dane secured one of Europe’s biggest jobs.
Frank has earned admirers for the work he has done at BrentfordGetty
In a chat with talkSPORT’s Jim White, Frank was asked directly about that comment from Guardiola and the constant speculation over his future.
“I’ve said many times I’m very happy at Brentford,” Frank replied.
“Who knows what will happen in the future. Maybe I stay here for many years. I’m open, maybe something happens.
“But first and foremost, very happy, just working very hard every day to make the club better.”
White followed up on Frank’s claim that he was ‘open’ to a future move and asked the Dane what he meant by his comment.
“That’s because it’s very difficult to predict the future,” Frank said.
“Who knows what will happen. How many coaches have been at the same club more than six years? Very few.
“[It’s] the nature of the game, let’s put it that way.”
Frank is almost part of the furniture at Brentford having joined the west London club in 2016 as an assistant to then-Bees coach Dean Smith.
The Dane took over once Smith moved to Aston Villa in 2018, took Brentford to the Premier League in 2021 via the play-offs – and today marks his six-year anniversary as manager.
Guardiola said it’s only a matter of time before Frank moves to a bigger clubGetty
Despite boasting one of the lowest wage bills in the top flight, Frank has steered Brentford to finishes of 13th, 9th and 16th with an attacking brand of football.
Frank’s ability to work wonders with a smaller budget has often seen the 51-year-old linked with vacancies at bigger clubs, one of which is Manchester United.
He was heavily touted as a potential replacement for Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag prior to their surprise FA Cup win that earned him a new deal.
However, Frank is once again linked with the United post amid the English giants’ worst-ever start to a Premier League season.
Another factor that strengthens Frank’s credentials is that Thomas Tuchel, who was heavily rumoured to take over from Ten Hag should he be sacked, has now been appointed England coach.
But Frank would not be drawn on any such speculation when quizzed by White about the United murmurs.
“There is a lot of rumours out there,” Frank said.
Frank has been heavily linked with taking over from Ten Hag at Manchester UnitedGetty
“Every club, every coach, all kinds of situations. I have this nice little principle that I never speak about players that are not in my club because I don’t know them well enough. And I don’t speak about speculation either way.”
One avenue of management Frank did not shut the door on was the international route.
As a child, Frank enjoyed watching the famous Denmark squads featuring the likes of Michael Laudrup and Preben Elkjær that made the semi finals of Euro 1984 and qualified for the round of 16 at the 1986 World Cup.
“That’s (international management) a thing I can see myself in, but who knows what will happen in the future,” Frank said.
Although it may intrigue him, international management and the Manchester United job are pure fantasies for Frank, at least for now.
Instead, his sole focus is on ensuring Brentford stay in the Premier League for a fourth-straight season.
But given the club only has so much to spend, unlike several of their top flight rivals, has Frank taken the Bees as far as he can?
“Who knows,” Frank said.
Frank has done incredibly well to keep Brentford in the Premier League despite a small wage budgetGetty
“Maybe, maybe not. But the ambition is always to want to be better, always want to improve.
“I’ve said it many times that I think we’re the club with the third, fourth, fifth-lowest budget. So money is not everything, but it’s something.
“Definitely on strategy, structure, planning, coaching, culture, on those aspects, we’re very good. That’s give us so far four seasons in the Premier League and now it sounds like we only want to stay in the Premier League or survive. It’s never that.
“We always want to thrive and get better and add layers. I always believe we can add more, but of course there’s probably a limit how far we can go, but who knows.”