Brentford announced the appointment of Thomas Frank as the club’s new head coach on Tuesday, replacing Dean Smith who moved to Aston Villa.
Frank worked alongside Smith on Brentford’s coaching staff in the last two seasons and has also experienced managing in Denmark’s youth set up, as well as a three-year spell in charge of Danish side Brondby.
Frank’s immediate task will be to end Brentford’s five match winless run in the Championship by picking up his first victory in charge against Bristol City at Griffin Park on Saturday. The 45-year old will then be aiming to build on the progress made on the field during Smith’s tenure, which saw The Bees secure three consecutive top 10 finishes and establish themselves as one of the most attractive footballing sides in the division.
Despite The Bees sitting in 7th place just a point outside the play-off places they have only won four matches in the Championship so far, drawing half of their matches. Nottingham Forest, Blackburn Rovers and Swansea City are the only other sides currently in the top half of the table to have won as few matches.
However, Brentford have only lost twice, a record bettered only by 3rd placed Leeds United and 5th placed Nottingham Forest. Frank will be hoping to replicate some of the good performances produced so far this season, but will be hoping to convert the draws into victories which if they achieve they will be firmly amongst the promotion challengers come May.
In Smith’s last game in charge at Leeds United just before the international break Brentford typically played on the front foot, with some attractive football enabling them to provide one of Leeds most stern tests so far this season. The Bees led 1-0 with just two minutes to play before conceding an equaliser from a free kick as Pontus Jansson headed home, that game was indicative of Brentford’s start to the season with a promising performance that should have yielded three points ending up as a draw.
Brentford’s board have wasted no time in appointing Frank as their new head coach, after initially placing him in caretaker charge, which suggests the club’s hierarchy are confident in Frank’s coaching ability and believe he is the right man to continue Brentford’s good style of play, but also add that all important winning edge to the side.
Frank recorded a highly respectable 45% win percentage from his 103 games in charge of Brondby, and crucially will already be aware of his new squads strengths and weaknesses. This suggests he could be the man to build on Brentford’s good start to the campaign and keep his side amongst the promotion chasers come the end of the season.
