Brentford manager Thomas Frank has expressed his surprise and confusion over Leicester City’s decision to part ways with Steve Cooper, especially given the “terrible” timing for his own team. The Bees will host Leicester on Saturday in their first match following Cooper’s sacking last Sunday. With Ruud van Nistelrooy not yet ready to take charge, Leicester’s first-team coach, Ben Dawson, will serve as caretaker manager for the game at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Frank, who knows Cooper well from their time in the Championship and Premier League, admitted that he was perplexed by the decision to dismiss the Leicester boss. “It’s terrible timing for us, but we’ll adapt,” Frank said at his press conference. “It’s always unfortunate when a coach loses their job. Steve is an excellent coach, and from the outside, I just don’t understand why he was sacked. Leicester are in 16th place, just outside the relegation zone, but they’re still performing better than the other promoted teams.”
The uncertainty surrounding Leicester’s managerial situation has made preparations difficult for Brentford. Frank revealed that he hasn’t watched any Leicester footage this week, deeming it a “waste of time” due to the uncertainty over who will be in charge long-term.
Despite the challenges of facing an interim manager, Frank acknowledged that Brentford’s strong home form gives them confidence heading into the match. The Bees have recorded impressive wins over teams like Crystal Palace, Southampton, and Wolves, with only West Ham managing to take a point from the Gtech Community Stadium in a 1-1 draw in September.
On the injury front, Brentford has no new injury concerns ahead of the game. Defender Kristoffer Ajer, full-back Rico Henry, and winger Gustavo Nunes remain unavailable, but Frank confirmed that midfielder Christian Norgaard is back in contention after successfully appealing his three-match ban for a red card against Everton. “It’s a big boost to have him available,” Frank said. “We’re progressing well with the injured players, and it’s great to see Norgaard back in the squad after the appeal was overturned. It was the right decision.”
