Pep Guardiola names the Premier League manager he’s convinced will manage a European giant

Posted by Admin September 15, 2024 Jobs

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, after surviving an early scare against Thomas Frank’s Brentford on Saturday, has name-dropped the Danish tactician to secure one of European football’s biggest jobs – stating that it’s simply “a question of time”.

It took the west Londoners just 23 seconds, courtesy of Yoane Wissa, to take the lead against the reigning champions in their Premier League encounter on Saturday before Erling Haaland’s double eventually sunk the spirited Bees.

Frank, 50, has endured a mixed start to the 2024-25 Premier League season. Brentford are currently sitting in ninth spot after two wins – against Crystal Palace and Southampton – and two defeats in their four outings since the new campaign got underway.

Guardiola Backs Frank to Join Top European Club

‘It is just a question of time’

Although the game eventually ended in a 2-1 victory, Manchester City were lucky to not have conceded two or three more by the time that Haaland, one of world football’s leading marksmen, found his shooting boots.

Guardiola, widely regarded as one of the greatest managers in Premier League history, sung the praises of the west Londoners and suggested that they have been, since their promotion to the top flight, one of his side’s toughest opponents. The revered Catalan coach said:

“I don’t remember in eight or nine years a team that played like them [Brentford] in the first 20-30 minutes. And I give credit to them. They deserved to be 2-0 or 3-0 up.

“They create every time, I don’t remember a team that create in this type of situation: long balls, winning duels, short passes and breaking the lines. It’s an extraordinary team. We suffer, since they were promoted to the Premier League, in all the games we play them.”

The 53-year-old, who is now regarded as one of the greatest Premier League managers in history, heaped praise on his Brentford counterpart following their 2-1 win on Saturday afternoon and suggested it’s just a ‘question of time’ until he gets snapped up by a top club in Europe.

“It is just a question of time. I’m good [at] a few things, one of which is reading when the manager is good. It is going to happen.”

Frank Replies to Guardiola’s Praise

‘Maybe one day I will try something new’

Frank initially Brentford as assistant head coach in 2016 and replaced Dean Smith as senior boss two years later and has since been courted by the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea – but a move to one of England’s top clubs has yet materialised.

That said, in response to Guardiola, the ex-Brondby IF chief has thanked him for his kind words and insisted that, despite being happy in his current role, he may move onto pastures new in the future. He said:

“First, thank you for that, Pep – it is always nice. There are a lot of reasons why I admire Pep. He always shows class and did it when we beat them here last time, almost 50 games ago. I am very happy at Brentford but maybe one day I will try something new.”