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Long-time Beesotted contributor and life-ling Brentford fan, Jim Levack, shares his thoughts on Thomas Frank’s decision to leave Brentford.

More than a decade ago and five or six months after Uwe Rosler first took the reins at Brentford, there were rumblings of disapproval around Griffin Park.

We’d started playing the ball out from the back and when it didn’t work, the old guard weren’t slow in letting the players and manager know how they felt.

It was a nerve-wracking experience for supporters who’d previously been used to seeing their defenders “get rid” with a hoof that frequently soared out of view over the stands.

Today a similar approach brings audible gasps of surprise from fans now used to a completely different brand of crisp, intricate, patient ‘out ball’… almost always on the deck.

Uwe’s arrival and subsequent two years in charge marked a turning point in our fortunes. We started to think more about the build-up, possession and passing sides of the game, his “pass them to death” mantra often carried out to a tee.

Brentford in the afternoon and then top flight sides on Match of the Day was like watching different brands of football, but there were signs of the gap being narrowed.

After that, Mark Warburton refined the process further but was unable or unwilling to flex to the new stats-led approach which had its initial critics, me included.

Years later and continuous calm tweaking and evolution of both playing style and personnel have carried us on. But the foundations on which the whole shabang is based have always been there.

Dean Smith and Thomas Frank added layers that have only established us further as a club worthy of its place in the Premier League. But it’s a fragile reputation that can be wiped away before you can say “injury list” and “poor transfer window”.

Thomas’s successor needs to be a right first-time appointment with similar qualities – empathy, man-management skills, a world view of football’s place in life and above all, a grasp of the values that embody the club.

They won’t be affected by his exit because they aren’t just flags of convenience the club waves around. They are the non-negotiables such as togetherness, hard work and humility.

“Trust in the system” is a phrase bandied about since this ‘bereavement’ process started – and deep down, despite the fear of the new and unknown, most Brentford fans do.

We’re an honest bunch. Most of us won’t cry, whinge or bitch after nine defeats if we can see the bigger picture. I wonder if Thomas will be afforded the same luxury by Draconian Daniel in N17. I hope it won’t come to that.

He has always been pragmatic, measured and calm with a realistic perspective on losing – or winning – a football match. That outlook won’t change with the new man. It comes from the top.

Performance, performance, performance – always the post-match focus from the affable and emotionally intelligent Dane, his 24-hour rule testament to the volatility of the game we love.

A glass of red and a bit of banter with the media if we’d won. The occasional annoyance always spun in a positive way if we’d lost. Draws were always missed opportunities for a win.

I’ll miss his optimism, his natural good humour with the press and pundits and I’ll wish him the very best apart from twice a season. But I’ll only miss him briefly.

Because although he’s earned his place in the pantheon of Brentford legends as our best manager of the modern era, it’s the fans that make the club.

We’ve always been there and always will be. Which was why Thomas’s comment a couple of weeks ago that he ‘wanted the fans to be louder in key moments’ was perhaps a sign that something was afoot.

 

It was the first time he’d had a dig, albeit mild, at the supporters – perhaps an indication that the time was looming for a change to something bigger.

The weeks ahead will be awash with stories about the club falling apart, relegation looming, players jumping ship and disaffection in the ranks. Ignore them. They’ll be penned by journos looking for an angle to stay ahead in the clickbait war.

The new man and his team will need time. They’ll get that at Brentford because the culture is right for success.

Which is why I’m excited that this has unfolded now, with room for the club to put in place the resilience plan that I’m sure Phil and Matthew have been continuously updating for years.

Espousing the philosophy of Rosler, Smith and Frank, it’s a massive opportunity for us to take that next step and become a Big Six contender. But one with values and principles.

Whether it’s a coach currently plying his trade in the Bulgarian third division or a proven winner with the tactical nous and human touch to match, the evolution will continue.

Adding layers is what we do, and we have Thomas and Co to thank for that. Someone new with different, fresh ideas could be just the spark we need to take the next step and add even more.

I can’t wait for the season to start.

Jim Levack

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