Ivan idea: Our new signing will be old boy Toney
FRANK CONFIDENT FAN FAVOURITE WILL STAY WITH BEES UNTIL THE SUMMER
Wolves v Brentford 7.30pm THOMAS FRANK says Ivan Toney can write another glorious chapter for Brentford – with the striker now “99 percent” certain to stay at least until the summer.
The Bees go to Wolves for an FA Cup third-round replay tonight with the fixture one day before England forward Toney can play again after an eightmonth ban for breaching betting rules.
Toney, subject of transfer speculation for months and linked to Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, appeared to confirm on TV to former team-mate Pontus Jansson that he is staying.
And that will give the 27-year-old England ace the chance to repay the club’s support by scoring the goals to ensure Brentford stay in the top flight.
Frank (right), whose team have lost their last five league games, said: “Football is so crazy you never know but I am 99 percent sure Ivan is playing here for at least the rest of the season.
“I didn’t want to let him go, that was all I had in my mind. And every time I spoke to him it was focusing on playing against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Ivan can write it his way. No doubt he would like to come back and perform fantastic for the club and fans and give something back.
“If he helped the club stay in the Premier League and have a fantastic second half of the season, that would be a great story.
“We have done everything we can to help him through this spell. And it is turning out to be what I would say is the right outcome.
“Having Ivan back will be like making a big new signing – a top Premier League striker that everyone is excited about.”
Toney’s hugely anticipated return will be at the weekend – but there is not much homework to be done on Wolves, as this is their third meeting in three weeks.
And with the tie against West Brom for the winners already selected for live coverage, Frank would love to ruin the best-laid plans of the broadcasters.
He added: “I guess I am close to knowing Wolves better than Gary O’Neil, playing them for a third time in three weeks!
“There is always preparation – but mainly we are using time on the last games we have faced them. But we are looking forward to it.
“The TV have chosen the winners of our game with Wolves against West Brom in the next round. “There is no doubt that Wolves v West Brom would be a very good local derby – but hopefully we can spoil that. We would like to progress to the next round.” And the Dane doubled down on his controversial view that third and fourth-round replays should be scrapped, also insisting there should be no extra time in those games.
He said: “The replays – I don’t get it. And I would rather go straight to penalties with no extra time. There is a lot of talk about protecting players. “We don’t know how much we can push the body. I think the amount of injuries is going up.”