Thomas Frank addresses Man Utd links as four-man Erik ten Hag replacement shortlist emerges
Brentford manager Thomas Frank has been linked with Manchester United, as the club's hierarchy continue to assess Erik ten Hag's position after a lacklustre start to the season
by Nathan Ridley · The MirrorBrentford boss Thomas Frank has left the door open to becoming Manchester United's next manager - but admits that the job would make him less happy.
Frank, 51, is known to have admirers at Old Trafford and was reportedly targeted by United earlier this year when club chiefs considered sacking current boss Erik ten Hag. After winning just four of their opening 12 games this season, Ten Hag finds himself under pressure once again, with the Red Devils hierarchy said to have drawn-up a four-man shortlist to replace him.
Now the second longest-serving manager in the Premier League, behind only Pep Guardiola, Frank has been tipped to join a bigger club to progress his career. Ten Hag went head-to-head with the Dane on Saturday, as United came from behind to claim a much-needed 2-1 win.
Two days after the match, Frank sat down for an interview with the Sports Agents and was asked how much he'd consider his personal happiness if the Old Trafford top brass came calling. "One thing is for sure if I ever leave Brentford, which will probably happen one day," he replied.
"I'll definitely go back to Denmark one day, I know that. Who knows what will happen in the future? We never know. As I said many times, and I think it's very important, because I'm probably in one of the best clubs in the world. End of discussion.
"In terms of the alignment, the leadership, the culture - everything. So, why should I ever leave this place? But things can happen, you can want new inspiration or whatever it is, but maybe also find another inspiration here in the club and you stay for longer.
"But coming back to your question because I'm not going to talk around it, don't worry, for sure if I ever got an offer from a big club and decided to go there, it probably wouldn't make my life better. I think we all know that but hey, that's maybe a challenge that you need to try, I don't know. It's not something I'm thinking about."
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Frank did, however, go on to admit: "You don't know how it would be if you walked into another job, maybe it is even better than here, I don't know that. I'm just looking about the exposure that is on certain managers and I don't think that's the part of football they love. I'm happy here but what will happen in future will happen and we'll take it from there."
It was reported in June that United officials met with Frank's representatives on the morning of last season's FA Cup final. The Red Devils pulled off a surprise 2-1 win against Manchester City which helped keep Ten Hag in his position - for now.
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