Hurting Frank to get Bees buzzing
BRENTFORD boss Thomas Frank admits he is hurting – but is now hoping for an epic ending to the season rather than another painful sob story.
The Bees were left devastated after two straight defeats at the end of their regular league campaign saw them pipped to the automatic promotion spot by West Brom.
Yet top-flight football for the first time since 1947 remains within the grasp of Frank’s men heading into today’s play-off semi-final first leg at Swansea.
Whereas the Swans dramatically sneaked into the top six on Wednesday, Brentford flopped at home to lowly Barnsley when victory would have seen them promoted.
Ultra-positive Danish boss Frank said: “It was so painful and it hurt a lot on Wednesday night.
“But there are only two options in life – you can sit down and cry and think the world is not fair or you can stand up and fight.
“Of course, we have chosen to stand up and fight – and we are ready.
“It has been our best season in more than 70 years.
“I think we play a fantastic style of football and have an unbelievable, unique culture at this club. It’s in tough times that we need to show that.”
Highly-rated strike trio Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins have all failed to score in the past two games but
Frank said: “They’re ready, 100 per cent.
“Ollie and Said have been top since the restart and I think there is more to come from Bryan.”
RHIAN BREWSTER can outperform Brentford’s BMW today – and park himself in Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield showroom.
That’s the view of Andre Ayew, who says his Swansea City strike partner, 20, has the talent to burn off their opponents’ much-celebrated front three when they clash at the Liberty Stadium in the first leg of their play-off.
Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins have been dubbed as the BMW this season with a high-performance 57 Championship goals between them for the Bees. But there’s a BA flight that has taken off the runway in Swansea with 25 goals of their own for Brewster and Ayew – 10 of which have come from Brewster in his 20 matches on loan from Liverpool.
“Rhian has everything to play at the top level. He has goals, he has speed, he has power,” said Ayew. “He’s still young and so he has things to improve on but when we are talking about a pure finisher and talent in front of goal, then he has it all. He has everything that a striker needs.
“Rhian is learning how to cope with playing when you’re tired, how to play with men, week-in, week-out out – because the Championship is like that – and he’s coped really, really well.”
Brewster scored four goals in Swansea’s last six matches as they surged into the play-offs, including a blistering 25-yarder at Reading that sparked their astonishing late dash into the top six with a 4-1 win. Swansea are desperate to hold on to the England Under-21s striker, whatever league they may be in next season.
But Ayew, 30, has no doubts
Brewster is ready for the step up now – either on loan again in Wales or back at Liverpool.
He said: “I pray for him to be able to get this club up by his goals and then I think you will see it will be a big turning point in his career.
“He has the qualities to play in the Premier League, there’s no discussion to be had about that.
“But football is about a lot of things. You need to have a good manager who understands his game, who understands his personality and can put players around him who can make him play well.
“We talk on the pitch and off the pitch about football a lot, sometimes about life because sometimes what happens in your personal life reflects a bit on the pitch.
“You need to get yourself right and he listens, he wants to work. He wants to go to the top.
“And if you want to get to the top, you need to sacrifice certain things to get what you want.
“It’s not easy but that’s what I think he’s ready to do. I know and I believe honestly and truly that if Rhian works hard he will be a top player.”
Swans head coach Steve Cooper insists his fresh-faced team of loanees and wannabes will be free of the pressures weighing down the other three clubs in the play-offs.
“The other three clubs are at a completely different stage to us – the expectations are really high elsewhere,” said Cooper.
“Brentford have brought in players and the other two semi-finalists – Fulham and Cardiff – are two of the most resourced squads in the league.
“The strength in depth they’ve got is ridiculous, really, compared to us. But we don’t mind that.
“We love the fact we’ve got loads of young players and like playing in a certain way.”