Gary O’Neil
GARY O’Neil understands why some might compared Brentford’s Ivan Toney to Cherries’ Dominic Solanke, but the interim head coach stressed the pair were “very different”. Toney grabbed 30 goals as Thomas Frank’s Bees earnt promotion from the Championship in 2021, with Solanke nearing that total by firing Cherries up last year with a final league tally of 29. Whilst Solanke earnt a first England cap as a 20-year-old in 2017, Toney’s fine start to the season was recognised by Gareth Southgate in the recent international break, the former Peterborough man called up for the Nations League fixtures. When asked if Solanke could take anything from Toney’s rise from the Championship to the England squad,
Gary O’Neil responded: “I think they’re very different. I think Dom is extremely highly driven already, is a real good professional, works hard at his own game, knows his strengths, works hard on stuff that he needs to improve. He’s massive for this group, so I understand why people will talk about them together as in a comparison, but they’re very different. And Dom is a talented young English centre-forward. So should you aspire to one day being in and around the England squad? Yeah, of course. I think all young talented English footballers do, and Dom will probably be no different, but yeah, I’m delighted to have Dom as part of our group. He’s massive for us.”
O’Neil also had specific praise for Ivan Toney, before stressing that Brentford had numerous threats and consistent performers.
Gary O’Neil continued: “Obviously he’s had a fantastic start to the season, scored some really good goals, was a big part of what they did last season as well. He’s a good player for sure. There’s not too many number nines like him around anymore either, so not something that centre-backs come up against as often as they used to. He’ll be a test for us. But they carry a lot of threats, to be fair, Brentford. They’re a good side, not just Ivan Tony, so we’ll need to be ready.”
