Thomas Frank told West Ham United obvious choice amid Brentford exit talk
Darren Bent believes the obvious next step for Thomas Frank is to leave Brentford for a club like West Ham United.
Frank has been named as a possible successor to Julen Lopetegui at the Hammers, should the Spaniard lose his job in East London.
The 51-year-old brought Brentford to the Premier League in 2021 and has secured the side’s top-flight status ever since, drawing reported interest from West Ham and Manchester United.
Co-hosts Andy Goldstein and Bent discussed whether Frank could leave Brentford live on talkSPORT [17 October, 4:16pm], with the former Premier League forward believing West Ham to be the “obvious” next step for the German.
He said: “You look at the Premier League table and there are clubs out there that, yes they are bigger than Brentford, but they are below them in the table. So you start thinking, well is that really a step up? I get that.
“The obvious one is always like a West Ham. Why? I don’t know.”
Would West Ham United hire Thomas Frank if Julen Lopetegui was sacked?
While Lopetegui is not believed to be under pressure at West Ham as things stand, the 4-1 win against Ipswich Town will only buy so much time if performances do not improve after the international break.
The Spaniard has looked like a lacklustre appointment in East London thus far with only two wins from the opening seven Premier League fixtures – a stark reminder to the fans who pushed for change under David Moyes that the grass isn’t always greener.
Lopetegui has time to prove he is the right man to usher in the new era at the Hammers. However, if results continue and David Sullivan admits defeat and sacks the manager, Frank should be the priority replacement.
Frank has faced his fair share of adversity at the Gtech Community Stadium. His side prospered against all odds in the absence of star forward Ivan Toney and continued on an upward trajectory this campaign after sanctioning his sale to Saudi Arabia and rebuilding anew.
Lopetegui received an influx of talent throughout the summer that Frank could only dream of over at Brentford. If the Manchester United links don’t bear fruit, surely he would bite the hand off Sullivan to help realise the potential of this underperforming Hammers side.
In other West Ham news, Alex Crook shares an injury update on Niclas Fullkrug at the Irons.
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