Thomas Frank

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Thomas Frank

badgerbee said:
We did something very similar in the Championship (v Blackburn I think....??....) taking Rico off for Thompson. 2-0 up, drew 2-2. TF got slaughtered on here.
Would've been the same yesterday.
That's why I still say it was a brave call, and he deserves credit.
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Yes- though the difference and probably a learning from then is that TF’s subs, whether tactical or conservational are now almost invariably attacking ones. He doesn’t attempt to hold and will always twist to win. But if he can take CN off to go to a two man midfield against liverpool, he’s plenty brave enough to go more attacking v Burnley!
 

Thomas Frank

wibs said:
At the time I genuinely thought that was one of the most baffling substitutions I'd ever known.

Taking off our strongest, in terms of providing a shield to stop them scoring, for our weakest, in a must not lose match.

I had to tell myself Im sure he knows what he's doing.
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The substitution strengthened that 'shield' as it had stopped working from about the hr mark onwards.
 

Thomas Frank

OhBeehave said:
Interesting article about TF at Brøndby which just popped up on my timeline.

thesefootballtimes.co

The shaping of Thomas Frank and the early years at Brøndby

Thanks to a chairman criticising him on club forums and a constant shifting in the boardroom, Thomas Frank the manager was shaped at Brøndby
thesefootballtimes.co thesefootballtimes.co
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That's an interesting article and for me confirms that the Thomas Frank we have as our Head Coach now is a man who is still growing into his job, still learning at this level, still gaining experience & that for me is a huge positive. He has players around him who care and who have something to prove, he has a good coaching team in the likes of Brian Riemer and King Kev & he has an owner whose vision he shares passionately but who will give him the leeway to continue to grow. It's a good match and I think the best is yet to come.
 

Thomas Frank

Interview on Bold DK last week after he was nominated for Danish Coach of the Year.

www.bold.dk

Thomas Frank: Jeg festede til klokken seks

Brentford-træner Thomas Frank er blandt de sidste fire kandidater til titlen som Årets Træner 2021, og han ser i dette interview med bold.dk tilbage på et vanvittigt år.
www.bold.dk www.bold.dk

Brentford coach Thomas Frank is among the last four candidates for the title of Coach of the Year 2021, and in this interview with bold.dk he looks back on a crazy year.
Thomas Frank has ended up in distinguished company.

Both as a coach in the world's best league and as one of the four candidates for Coach of the Year 2021, where 64 coaching colleagues in Denmark have been in the voting booths and cut the field down to Kasper Hjulmand, Niels Frederiksen, Bo Svensson and thus Thomas Frank.

How would you describe your 2021 on the coaching front?

- It was a completely crazy year in every way. We start in Brentford this year as number 1 in the Championship, but lose three in a row in February and get three or four key players injured. There I think 'We can not move directly up, we will not reach'. Luckily, we make it into the crazy playoffs and end up in the final against Swansea.

- There is no one who understands how wild that fight is. It is impossible to explain. Remember that owners, fans, players and coaches stand in the doorway to a giant Slaraffenland and the highest imaginable level in the world - sportingly and financially. But it helped us with some experience from the year before and luckily beats Swansea.

- It was the wildest explosion of emotions, and after the match we all had tears in our eyes. It was huge for everyone, and there are pictures of Brian Riemer (Brentford Assistant, ed.) And I standing and hugging.

- So it is two boys from Frederiksværk and Albertslund who suddenly have to train in the Premier League. It has never been in the stars that we should do that.

Did the boss go home early?

- No, I was home at 6 in the morning. And the only reason I did not drink myself into the fence was that I was around talking to everyone and everyone. And forgot my beer along the way, laughs the Brentford manager.

He and the team stamp after a short summer break into the Premier League, where Arsenal are the first opponent.

The Arsenal victory is in the top five over memorable matches. We play at home in the Premier League against a big club and the fans stand and cry afterwards.

- But then the damage came, and the corona hit us hard. It broke the rhythm, but we got through the year in a classy way anyway.

In which area do you feel that you have developed the team the most in terms of play in 2021?

- We were a very dominant team in the Championship and took the lead in the matches, but I knew very well that we had to adjust the mindset in the Premier League and pad the defensive. So I switched to a five-back chain to secure a good, defensive base. But we try to maintain the principles of our style with high, aggressive pressure.

- It is the base that, together with our standard situations, means that we have a good opportunity to also play the Premier League next year. We MUST be top 3 fitness teams to survive. We must be able to run longer than the others.

There have been many great Danish coaching performances in 2021. What words do you want to attach to the other three nominees' performances?

- I just sit and think: How proud I am to be a Dane, and how proud I am of the national team. I was a fan when I was little and have even worked five years as a U-country coach at DBU.

- Kasper Hjulmand has managed to gather the Danes around the national team. It is a unique achievement.

- It was a wild European Championship in many ways. I was in the Park for the Belgium match, and I stand and sing the national anthem with my son and two good friends and have to see a national team where I know many on and off the field, with whom I have a close bond. And then it was right after the Christian Eriksen accident. So - the national anthem that was sung that day ... I get goosebumps just talking about it now.

- There was something magical in the air, and what Kasper did was unique. Also because both the atmosphere around the national team and the good results continued into the World Cup qualifiers.

- Bo Svensson has entered the Mainz job impressively and has stuck to the things he stands for as a coach. It's a unique result to get to safety quite early in the season after being below the line as he takes over. It's just as impressive that he's built on that this season. He's super fat, and it seems that there is a lot of respect for him - both as a football professional and as a manager.

- Niels Frederiksen is just a pissed off coach and a very clear leader. He is sharp on his principles and gets a lot out of a little. I know in my own body how much that championship means to so many people, so I have to admit that I also sat and cheered along the way. Only when the team won the insane victory in AGF and then when they win in the last match, where Lasse Vigen scores. A guy that I have known since he was 15 years old.

Can you even be called a Brøndby fan?

- Well, I'm a fan of the club. It can not be avoided when, like me, you have been there for almost three years. Many of those people are still there. So the personal relationships also matter.

- I know Niels really well and have worked closely with him, and we have always had a good, mutual respect for each other as professionals and as people. I get happy when things succeed for good people, says the Brentford boss.

Thomas Frank has a long coaching career behind him. First as a youth coach for club and national teams, then as a Brøndby head coach and the last five years in Brentford - first as an assistant and then as a head coach in the world's best league with a large staff and expensively paid players in the locker room.

Which leadership qualities do you think are the most important to possess as a top coach in 2022?

- Clarity in relation to playing style and communication. And then to show calm. Especially right after a match where it can be the hardest. It's ok to show emotion, but I do not believe it helps to shout and scream after a defeat, even if a fire is burning and a hurricane is raging in one's body.

- To be able to remain calm right after the match, but also to be able to deliver a comprehensible, constructive evaluation the day after, is extremely important.

When do you feel like a success as a leader?

- If you asked me the day after the promotion final to the Premier League, I would say 'right now'. But at most a couple of days passed and then I was on my mindset and then it was about how I and the team could improve ourselves and prepare for the tasks that awaited.

- I'm constantly thinking about how I can get better. How can I communicate more strongly? What tactical things can I turn on? How can I keep the players on fire?

- I will never finish developing myself as a leader. Fortunately, says Thomas Frank.
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Thomas Frank

When analysing where TF generates such enmity, maybe it's when he describes one of his rivals as "super fat" and another as "just a pissed off coach"

Or maybe there were some translation snaggles.
 

Thomas Frank

StevieSteve said:
When analysing where TF generates such enmity, maybe it's when he describes one of his rivals as "super fat" and another as "just a pissed off coach"

Or maybe there were some translation snaggles.
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I'm going with super fit on this one personally.

Whether he's aesthetically attractive to Thomas or just an uber athlete (or possibly both) is for TF to clarify.
 

Thomas Frank

It's a moderately poor google-translation and it shows

"superfedt" which is the word used in regards to Bo Svensson is closest in meaning towards "super cool" ... for something to be "fedt" (which does mean 'fat') in Danish is used much the same as "Cool"

in case of Niels Frederiksen, the translation-bot simply gave up half-way through ... closest in context would be something along the ways of "fricking skilled"

also, in case anyone wonders about the word "slaraffenland" ... it's the Danish word for the concept of Cockaigne (although nowadays it's more often used referring to something alike pleasure island in Pinocchio, which was also called that in the danish dub of the Disney movie)
 
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Thomas Frank

Sianist said:
It's a moderately poor google-translation and it shows

"superfedt" which is the word used in regards to Bo Svensson is closest in meaning towards "super cool" ... for something to be "fedt" (which does mean 'fat') in Danish is used much the same as "Cool"

in case of Niels Frederiksen, the translation-bot simply gave up half-way through ... closest in context would be something along the ways of "fricking skilled"

also, in case anyone wonders about the word "slaraffenland" ... it's the Danish word for the concept of Cockaigne (although nowadays it's more often used referring to something alike pleasure island in Pinocchio, which was also called that in the danish dub of the Disney movie)
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Thank you. I just got this reply from a Dane on Brentford Loyal on Facebook.
FC22CCB8-73A5-4227-A355-435BADC32D7E.jpeg
 

Thomas Frank

Think we got the tactics wrong first half. We sat back and allowed them to play, weren't aggressive enough with our press and didn't close them down on the edge of our box. Madness given what happened in the home game. We were much more aggressive and positive with the ball second half and probably deserved to get something out of it because of that. TF was quite hampered with lack of options to change things up front though. With Canos obviously not fit and Toney not quite at his best we couldn't change any of the front three and it was our effforts in the final third that cost us unfortunately.
 

Thomas Frank

Mr Cynical said:
Think we got the tactics wrong first half. We sat back and allowed them to play, weren't aggressive enough with our press and didn't close them down on the edge of our box. Madness given what happened in the home game. We were much more aggressive and positive with the ball second half and probably deserved to get something out of it because of that. TF was quite hampered with lack of options to change things up front though. With Canos obviously not fit and Toney not quite at his best we couldn't change any of the front three and it was our effforts in the final third that cost us unfortunately.
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Didn't get the passive start I must admit. It suited Leicester perfectly. We always play better at a high tempo so I can't believe it was actually a planned tactic. We saw second half that with the intensity we created a hell of a lot.
 

Thomas Frank

All I can think about the passive start is that we thought we could stay in the game and then try and take advantage later in the game due to their inevitable tiredness after the European match. Maybe a case of over thinking?
 
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Thomas Frank

Les Beeavinu said:
All I can think about the passive start is that we thought we could stay in the game and then try and tale advantage later in the game due to their inevitable tiredness after the European match. Maybe a case of over thinking?
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part of me is frustrated in that TF talked about being braver from the start, could we have been a little braver therefore with the team selection? As soon as CE was named as being out it felt like deja vu of games prior to Norwich, we know what those three can do in the middle and it isn’t the most effective
 

Thomas Frank

Mr Cynical said:
Think we got the tactics wrong first half. We sat back and allowed them to play, weren't aggressive enough with our press and didn't close them down on the edge of our box. Madness given what happened in the home game. We were much more aggressive and positive with the ball second half and probably deserved to get something out of it because of that. TF was quite hampered with lack of options to change things up front though. With Canos obviously not fit and Toney not quite at his best we couldn't change any of the front three and it was our effforts in the final third that cost us unfortunately.
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Especially when you compare to how Spurs went straight at West Ham (who, like Leicester, also played Thursday night)
 

Thomas Frank

Listening to TF's after match interviews, as one does, are they all spoken from the same script? They sound on continuous loop to me. Same phrases, excuses, analysis etc. If you've heard one you've probably heard most of the others.
 

Thomas Frank

HerefordB said:
Listening to TF's after match interviews, as one does, are they all spoken from the same script? They sound on continuous loop to me. Same phrases, excuses, analysis etc. If you've heard one you've probably heard most of the others.
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no
 

Thomas Frank

HerefordB said:
Listening to TF's after match interviews, as one does, are they all spoken from the same script? They sound on continuous loop to me. Same phrases, excuses, analysis etc. If you've heard one you've probably heard most of the others.
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Maybe don’t listen to them then?
 

Thomas Frank

HerefordB said:
Listening to TF's after match interviews, as one does, are they all spoken from the same script? They sound on continuous loop to me. Same phrases, excuses, analysis etc. If you've heard one you've probably heard most of the others.
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My first instinct was to call this out for the obvious sh*te that it is.

On reflection, I’ll put you to proof on you claim. Please can you reference the post match interviews where TF says the same things, ‘phrases, excuses, analysis etc’. Thanks.
 

Thomas Frank

HerefordB said:
Listening to TF's after match interviews, as one does, are they all spoken from the same script? They sound on continuous loop to me. Same phrases, excuses, analysis etc. If you've heard one you've probably heard most of the others.
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Are you serious or just looking to try and be clever? He’s not perfect but he’s honest and doesn’t trot out the same stuff at all?
 

Thomas Frank

sonofabee said:
Are you serious or just looking to try and be clever? He’s not perfect but he’s honest and doesn’t trot out the same stuff at all?
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They all trot out the same stuff more or less, because they are talking about a football match everyone week by the same team.

Try saying 40 massively different speeches on the same subject from the same perspective. Any audience would spot similarities. If @HerefordB thinks they are repetitive then he should stop listening, as he has heard it all before in any case ?‍♀️
 

Thomas Frank

Banana said:
They all trot out the same stuff more or less, because they are talking about a football match everyone week by the same team.

Try saying 40 massively different speeches on the same subject from the same perspective. Any audience would spot similarities. If @HerefordB thinks they are repetitive then he should stop listening, as he has heard it all before in any case ?‍♀️
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Yes, you are probably correct. Hard to say the same thing differently so many times!
 

Thomas Frank

Untouchable said:
My first instinct was to call this out for the obvious sh*te that it is.

On reflection, I’ll put you to proof on you claim. Please can you reference the post match interviews where TF says the same things, ‘phrases, excuses, analysis etc’. Thanks.
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Do listen more carefully and try, for once, to be just a tad objective.
 

Thomas Frank

Indian Bee said:
Another tactical masterclass by TF ? set the team up perfectly when most of us wouldn’t have gone back to 3-5-2.
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He got it spot on, but also played a positive 3-5-2. The low block wasnt used throughout. We dropped in when needed but pressed high and fast when needed.
 

Thomas Frank

I had a sense of it but the 5L Monday Night Club interview reinforced how he brings calm to the squad. Even after losing five games straight he maintained a solid belief in the methods, the training and the quality of the players. The tactical nouse is the icing on top. Well done Thomas. Thank you ??
 

Thomas Frank

DanishPlastic said:
A rugby stadium made out of lego it looks like. Very danish
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They’re missing a trick here I reckon…..
I’d actually love to help my daughter build a Lego BCS on Christmas Day …
Especially with that Eriksen mini figure as part of the team.
My daughter actually might not be as keen as me though…
 

Thomas Frank

tivadvir said:
Going to be on Radio 5 Live between 7-8pm.

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Interesting way they’ve structured the programme, with the lead story being one horse goes ahead of the other horse in a two horse race ?
 

Thomas Frank

Just scrolled through the beginning of this thread. Quite impressed with how things have turned out for TF. I have always loved his approach as a coach, and with so many Danish players in the team (and a genuine interest in PL) becoming a Brentford fan happened almost by itself.

My friends and I have followed Brentford during the last 3-4 years, and it has been thrilling. Many strong runs, trailing behind, and then ending up SO close to promotion. And then finally TF and the players make it.

I have been a member of this forum for quite some time now, and I find it extremely entertaining. The compassion and love for a “bus stop in Hounslow” is admirable, I can honestly say that reading through the posts with players, statistics, and what not is just so much fun.

I hope that TF keeps up the good work. Cheers from Denmark. ;-)
 
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