Thomas Frank interview: Brentford head coach discusses Bees' chase for Europe, Bryan Mbeumo future and summer transfer window
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Brentford head coach Thomas Frank discusses the club's bid to get into Europe, Bryan Mbeumo's future and the summer transfer window; the Bees' chances of qualifying for Europe were boosted by a win at Nottingham Forest
Thursday 1 May 2025 23:18, UK
Thomas Frank steps into the room, having just finished a meeting with his coaching staff, analysts and the club's performance director Ben Ryan. The topic of the meeting was to discuss next season, even though there is much to play for in this one.
"I invited everyone in, to look a little bit back in the season," he says to Sky Sports. "We looked into the good bits of what we did this season, then starting to look at to how we can improve.
"I know we have five games to go, so I know this season can be good. It can be very good. It can be exceptional."
The Brentford head coach is speaking to Sky Sports before their sensational 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Thursday night. Whatever was said in that meeting may need to be revisited - as the club's situation could well change.
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A few weeks ago, Brentford were outsiders for a European finish. Now their chances are far more realistic. The stunning win at the City Ground leaves them two points behind eighth spot - which is highly likely to carry Europa Conference League qualification should Manchester City beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final.
With three out of their four remaining opponents sitting 13th or below in the Premier League table - with the other game a tantalising home west London derby against Fulham, the team currently in eighth spot, there is no reason why they cannot make their European dream a reality.
Even Frank was confident about the run-in before the win at Forest. "It would be a little bit flat if we lose the last five! But we won't. We won't, that I'm quite sure of!"
The win at Forest summed up what Brentford are up against and the uphill struggle they have. Thursday's game was 32 years to the day since Brian Clough's final Nottingham Forest match at the City Ground.
Even though Forest were promoted one year after Brentford's own promotion in 2021, they still have the bigger fanbase, legacy and reputation with the history of winning European Cups. Nearly all the Premier League teams have a better standing than the Bees.
"It's tricky," says Frank about his team's European ambitions. "Do you want to be a European club, but what is a European club?
"Is that every year? If it is, then it depends on the size of the club, where the budget would need to be fairly linked to it. Money talks.
"The good thing for us is culture, strategy, hard work, clear principles and style of play - all those things we do quite well. It can raise your level - and it has raised our level.
"But I think we can have one top season. Then there will be others where it will be good - but not enough to push into that top European company."
One of Frank's key mantras at the Brentford is the need to "add layers" each season. You hear the Danish coach say that phrase a lot over the course of the season "No matter what," he says. "It's difficult to go from A to B, it has to be a process.
"We have added layers in three out of the four seasons in the Premier League. The third season we could have done it anyway, but the injuries hindered us."
And those layers are clear on the pitch. First, Frank has made a shift this season to solely playing a back four. "I was bored of playing a back five," he reveals.
But there are also individual signs of layers being added, not just the collective growth. It has not gone unnoticed how new Brentford players tend to start slowly then grow into form.
Keane Lewis-Potter's £20m move from Hull was initially deemed a waste of money, but he is now thriving at left-back, even with Rico Henry fit again.
And take a look at two of the star performers at Forest. Kevin Schade, scorer of the first, is a much better player compared to his arrival two years ago. But there is no more improved player than centre-back Nathan Collins, who won Player of the Match at the City Ground.
The centre-back had an error-strewn debut campaign last term, no better summarised than his two mistakes to hand former club Wolves a 4-1 win at the Gtech Community Stadium in his first match following his £23m move. But now ihe s the first name on the team sheet.
"Two things are very important," says Frank about this trend of improving players. "We have patience, which is a word that you can't say too much in football.
"You're working with human beings, they are not robots. They need to feel confident, trusted and all that. Of course they need to perform, but that patience is key.
"We bought those players for a reason - because they're good enough and they've shown that and more.
"And the other thing is we are really good at developing players!"
So who is next on the list? Frank branded Igor Thiago, Fabio Carvalho and former B-team player Yehor Yarmoliuk as the next to come through. "Those could be the next three lined up to give me the headaches. That's the worst bit of this job, I can only pick 11!"
But does any future success rely on keeping the best stars, most notably Bryan Mbeumo, who has stepped into the Ivan Toney void by scoring 18 Premier League goals this season. "And counting," Frank says.
Brentford are not averse to selling top talent with David Raya and Toney moving in recent years - but there is a difference with Mbeumo. The Bees had already signed Mark Flekken prior to Raya's departure to Arsenal, while Toney was not involved in the team when he left for Saudi Arabia, with Yoane Wissa an internal blow softener.
"I'm the head coach, I want my best players to stay forever," says Frank. "I know that Bryan is very happy being here at Brentford, he's thriving, doing well and playing fantastic. What happens in the future? I don't know.
"I've said many times: we are a selling club. But at the same time we have to reinforce that there are 10 clubs in the world who aren't selling clubs.
"So, of course, if the right price - and that's going to be expensive - is coming, then I'm sure the club will be open for it. But I'm very happy he's here, and I'm convinced that Bryan will still be happy playing football here."
But is there a point over the next few seasons where that could change? "There could," Frank replied. After all, Brighton - who sold hundreds of millions worth of talent, mostly to Chelsea - decided last summer to keep hold of their starlets - and invest nearly £200m into summer signings.
"We are just a few years behind Brighton. About four years in that development, if we were to take them as an example," says Frank.
"There have definitely been situations in the past where we've said no, when clubs have knocked on our door.
"I expect that to be the same in the future, where we say: no, we are not selling, we want to keep the players and keep developing the team, or it's not the right time for the player to move on to something different.
"We are in a fantastic time in Brentford history, I'm sure the fans are enjoying it and I'm definitely enjoying it. And I think we can push even more, so we should do that."
There are signs that Brentford will stand firm again this summer, as Mbeumo is not the only player linked with a summer exit.
Forest made a bid for Mbeumo's partner in crime Wissa during the January transfer window, making the Congolese forward's goal at the City Ground even more ironic. There was interest in Schade from Borussia Dortmund. Both sagas could resume in the summer.
Meanwhile, reports from Germany have linked goalkeeper Flekken with a move to Bayer Leverkusen, while the form of Mikkel Damsgaard - who has 10 assists to his name this term, the same tally as Bruno Fernandes and one more than Cole Palmer - may engage interest.
"If we sell any players, I expect it to be very few," says Frank.
"This is a group where some of these players have been together for some time, but there has also been change which I also think is good and healthy.
"I expect more or less the same squad for next season."
If Brentford get into Europe, then there is absolutely no reason why they cannot keep their top stars for at least one more year.
