Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank has told Wolves head coach Bruno Lage to lose the excuses after Brentford’s victory at Molineux. The Bees claimed a 2-0 win over Lage’s Wolves courtesy of goals from Ivan Toney (pen) and Bryan Mbeumo in the first half. While Lage praised Brentford for their performance, he was annoyed about what he perceived to be time-wasting by Frank’s players in the second 45 minutes.
Bruno Lage said: “The last 45 minutes, I need to understand what happened. There were players on the floor from the opponent and I even saw the goalkeeper change his gloves. We need to praise the opponent, they are a strong team but I think in the last 45 minutes there’s another way to manage the game instead of spending time like that. It was too much. One, two, three situations is OK, but it was too much and sometimes two players at the same time.”
In response to Lage, Frank waxed lyrical about his counterpart before putting two questions to the Wolves head coach.
Thomas Frank said: “First I want to praise Bruno Lage. I think he’s had a fantastic coaching career and I think he’s doing a really good job with Wolves. In the first four games I’ve watched, they’ve produced top performances and have deserved much more. Top, top coach in every aspect – and I hope you write that. I would ask him what he would have done if he was leading, as a newly-promoted team – I think we’re just a ‘bus stop in Hounslow’ – playing against Wolves, an established Premier League side with 10 times the budget and you are leading 2-0 away, with 10 against 11. And then you need to ask him how the first half went, that’s what I’d ask him. Look at the game. Did we get a deserved win? On expected goals, big chances, everything, 11 against 11, 10 against 11. Don’t use excuses, don’t spin it. ‘We lost to a better team on the day, blah blah blah’, that’s how I’d do it.”
Asked why goalkeeper David Raya changed his gloves midway through the second half,
Thomas Frank added: “To be fair, he had a big hole in his glove. I will bring it in and take a picture to put on the website so it’s not in doubt anymore.”
