Following his appointment as the new head coach of Tottenham Hotspur, Thomas Frank has penned a heartfelt farewell message to Brentford, marking the end of a remarkable era for both the manager and the club. The announcement, made public on Thursday evening, concludes Frank's nine-year tenure in West London and begins a new chapter in North London.
In a letter addressed to Brentford supporters, Frank expressed his profound gratitude for the opportunity he was given to pursue his dreams and thanked everyone who made the journey a memorable one. "The time has come for me to move on," Frank wrote. "But, even as I leave, I know I have left a big piece of my heart at Brentford, not just at the football club but with the community and, of course, the incredible and loyal supporters."
Frank's departure sees him reunite with Tottenham's technical director, Johan Lange, with whom he shares a long-standing relationship dating back to their time together at Lyngby in Denmark. Data is understood to have played a significant role in Spurs' recruitment strategy, and Frank's impressive track record of outperforming expectations with Brentford's budget and resources made him a compelling candidate.
Brentford's director of football, Phil Giles, also paid tribute to Frank, acknowledging his instrumental role in transforming the club. "From the moment he replaced Dean Smith, he understood what we were trying to build, and his wisdom, coaching ability, and emotional intelligence have helped transform the club," Giles stated. He reminisced about special moments under Frank's leadership, including the play-off final victory at Wembley and the emotional first Premier League game against Arsenal. "He forged a special connection with our fans, helped develop and improve players, and was instrumental in implementing the culture that has seen Brentford go from strength to strength," Giles added.
Frank's journey with Brentford began in 2016 when he joined as an assistant head coach. Two years later, he took over the top job and led the Bees to unprecedented success, including promotion to the Premier League in 2020. He is only the second Brentford manager to coach in the English top flight and boasts the third-best win record of any Bees coach with 132 wins. His near success in securing a Conference League spot this season, ending with a tenth-place Premier League finish, further solidified his legacy. His final match in charge was a 1-1 draw against Wolves.
Looking ahead, Frank will bring key members of his Brentford backroom staff with him to Tottenham, including assistant Justin Cochrane, head of athletic performance Chris Haslam, and analyst Joe Newton. Additionally, set-piece coach Andreas Georgson is set to join from Manchester United, reuniting with Frank after their time together at Brentford.
As Brentford moves forward, the club is now focused on finding a new leader to continue their progress. Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is currently favored by bookmakers to take over from Frank.
