Thomas Frank insisted that managing Brentford was "close to the perfect football life" and seemed to shut down notions that he could depart the club for more glittering opportunities.
Frank recently sparked headlines upon admitting that he would consider leaving the London club after guiding the Bees to safety for a third successive Premier League season "if a big club comes knocking". The admission put the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United on high alert amid their respective managerial searches.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino departed the club by mutual consent on Tuesday despite a strong end to the season during which the Blues recorded five straight wins and clinched a sixth-placed finish. Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag's future at United remains uncertain heading into the summer despite reaching a second successive FA Cup final come Saturday.
Frank steered Brentford to a 16th-placed finish this season, ending the league campaign with a 4-2 home loss to Newcastle United. While the position is a drop-off from the two season's prior as the Bees finished an impressive ninth and 13th in the league respectively, it's the third consecutive campaign that he's kept the Bees in the top-flight after promotion.
And despite issuing what many deemed to be a "come-and-get-me" plea, the Brentford boss maintained that he sees his immediate future with the club, adding that "the grass is not greener in the garden next door".
Speaking to The Athletic, Frank said: "I will probably be on that touchline on August 17. I think that will happen. I’m happy here. I’ve said it many times and I mean it. It’s close to the perfect football life. I’m not in any rush or searching to do something else but I also think I’ve learned in life I’m open for what can happen.
“I can see myself being here for a long period. Can I stay here for seven more years? I don’t know and that’s not that I don’t love Brentford, it’s just: do I want to try something different? But I’m very aware the grass is not greener in the garden next door even if it looks like it. Then you get in there, take a closer look and see there are a lot of weeds in the grass.”
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The 2023/24 season was a turbulent one as Frank navigated a brief flirt with relegation amid the absence of striker Ivan Toney through suspension for much of the season. The Bees finished the season with 39 points, 20 less than they managed during the 2022-23 campaign — the biggest drop-off from any team in the league. Meanwhile, Frank's side also dropped 30 points from winning positions. But the striking and bold style under Frank continues to catch the eyes of admiring suitors.
Frank joined Brentford from Brondby in 2018, leading them to a Championship play-off final two years late. A second play-off final at Wembley the following season secured passage to the Premier League after an emphatic victory over Steve Cooper's Swansea City.
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