Sky Sports News reporter Gail Davis sat down for an exclusive interview with Brentford boss Thomas Frank ahead of his side's Super Sunday clash with Crystal Palace; watch Brentford vs Crystal Palace on Super Sunday from 1pm, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 2pm
Sunday 18 August 2024 13:22, UK
Thomas Frank bounds in to the coffee shop full of energy and radiating the positivity we've come to expect from the Brentford boss.
It's two days before the start of the season, Frank has already spent an hour being peppered with questions from the press and with just a week left of the transfer window the future of Ivan Toney is still unclear. However, he is totally at ease and within moments of arriving he is deep in discussion with the owner Mark, a huge Brentford fan, about how good training has looked, whilst inspecting the beans for his macchiato.
Frank has clearly benefitted from his summer off. "It is always too short," he smiles. But after what he described as the "toughest season" of his career, some sunshine, time with the family and switching off both mentally and digitally, he is ready to go again.
It is a stark contrast to the last time I had spoken to him. Injuries had decimated his squad and Brentford had one win in 12 matches. When I'd popped in to get my flat white, Mark was seriously concerned Frank might have decided he had taken the club as far as he could.
Frank was also linked with Manchester United and Chelsea, but here he is leading Brentford into their fourth season in the top flight.
"I was tired for various reasons at the end of last season," Frank concedes. "But when we start in two days' time, I know I'll feel the buzz again and I'm looking forward to it.
"I've learned more and more over the years to try to keep my energy or retain my energy. I think it's been one of my strengths to have a big engine. I can just go and go and go. But I'm not getting younger.
"I've been on this hamster wheel for almost six years as a head coach, almost eight years in the club and it's fantastic, but it's also relentless."
Was there not a moment sitting on that sun lounger in Sicily, cocktail in hand, when you thought I am done I need a break or a new challenge? There's a big pause...
"I'm definitely thinking about whether I am going to be a head coach for 10 more years or 15 more years. I don't know.
"What I do know is I'm very pleased with being at Brentford and I'm very happy to be at the club. I have got a fantastic job. I have got a fantastic - how can I say? - day-to-day routine and work environment that I love and we're in the Premier League together, so there's so many good things about it.
"But of course, you think, I don't know, you're turning 50, your children are leaving you, you've been at Brentford for a long time. Maybe you just reflect a bit more, maybe I take six more years, maybe I don't. Who knows? But I'm very happy."
As he talks about his family, life away from football - he lives a short walk from the coffee shop and loves being part of the local community - and Brentford, you believe he's happy in west London, but the ambition clearly burns bright.
So, what about those summer rumours he was a possible replacement for Erik ten Hag at Manchester United if the new owners had decided change was needed - or at Chelsea after the departure of Mauricio Pochettino?
"I think it's very important that I'm focused where I am. No matter where you are I have to try to do my job," Frank said.
"Maybe things will happen. I said the whole time I'm very happy here. If something new will happen, then I need to look at that and then I need to take a decision on that, but right now I'm just happy here."
That doesn't quite answer my question. I say what could change your mind, you only get one crack at being a football head coach, don't you?
"The interesting thing is I maybe have one of the best football jobs in the world. I mean that, because the work environment is so good. It's such a good owner, it's such a good club."
I try again. Do you want to try something different in the future because you strike me as the kind of person that likes to keep challenging yourself?
Frank concedes: "That's the thing, do I like to try something in the future? Maybe, but it's not like I need to try something bigger or better because what is better? Who knows?"
I put it to Frank that having £100m or so to spend in the transfer window would be nice given you have often been the club that has had to sell.
"Can I have £200m," he jokes. "That would be good fun to have more but again, if you have more in, let's say at a bigger club, it's still the same challenge to use the money well, to get the right players into that position because then at that level they are more expensive, so you can't buy five."
You'd be more worried I suspect if you weren't being talked about - it only reinforces that you are doing something impressive here, I say, and Frank smiles: "We've all got an ego, it's nice to feed the ego but it's always the ego that gets in the way of good things in life. I think it's about keeping your feet grounded and doing the hard work."
Frank believes he can realise his ambitions with Brentford.
The club's owner Matthew Benham puts the chance of winning the league at one per cent but that's enough to convince Frank and his positive mindset that it is worth a shot.
"We talk about dreams from day one, we never talked about survival," he said.
"I think it's negative and I'm too positive to think about only staying in the Premier League or survival. It's always been trying to be an asset to the Premier League. Try to develop, try to improve, win the next game, end as high as possible. That's always been the aim.
"That's the beautiful thing about a new season, new opportunities, new dreams, new things to achieve, hopefully, with the knowledge that it is the most relentless league in the world. So we got a warning last year that, you know, also, even I hate saying it, just staying in the league is still a big success."
A trophy, he adds, would be pretty amazing too.
Frank will make sure he takes a moment on Sunday when Brentford take on Crystal Palace in their Premier League opener, live on Super Sunday on Sky Sports, to appreciate the excitement, drama and emotion of the start of the new season. Nothing is ever taken for granted.
"When the whistle goes and it is business I will enjoy it," he says. And with an almost fully-fit squad he and his team are ready.
It is a team which is likely to include Toney, and we have almost made it through the interview without a mention of the club's star man, who has been very much the centre of attention this summer.
The last question, though, goes to Mark - and as the owner of a record shop, it isn't surprising that it's music-based.
What music is played in the dressing room and who is in charge of it?
"Of course it's Ivan," laughs Frank, bringing up Toney's name himself to confirm what many may have suspected. "But he likes his pop music, all the go-to songs you can think of. He is a bit of a softie!"
Earlier in the day at his press conference Frank admitted he has been known to shed a tear or two. Like Toney there is a softer side but don't be fooled, these two thrive on winning and are desperate for success - be it with Brentford or, perhaps at some point, beyond.
Watch Brentford vs Crystal Palace on Super Sunday from 1pm, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 2pm
