'Instead of avoiding something, we want to achieve something'

Simply avoiding relegation is not enough for Brentford boss Thomas Frank, he wants his side to be an "asset" to the Premier League.

After promotion from the Championship in 2021, the Bees enjoyed finished 13th and ninth before a more challenging 2023-24 campaign ended in 16th - albeit a comfortable 13 points above Luton in the final relegation place.

"Every single time we have a season in the Premier League, it's a success - but we just always want more," Frank admitted in a long read on the club's official website. "Instead of avoiding something, we want to achieve something.

"It's never been about survival, I just don't like that word, I think it’s negative. I need to find another phrase that's better… ‘staying up’ or ‘another season’.

“People talk about the 40-point mark but that's never been an indicator for us. We want to constantly try to become better.

"We want to be an asset to the division."

Mitigating factors for last season include the 21 injuries they suffered and the eight-month ban handed to star striker Ivan Toney for breaching Football Association betting rules. That meant he only featured for the final few months.

"I think we still had a good season," Frank said. "We could still have had more, even with the injuries we had.

"Looking at a club of our stature, we can be pleased with every season in the Premier League and we can never take that for granted.

"This season was a small reality check. I say, ‘We win or we learn’ - there's been a lot of learning this season unfortunately!

“You tend to learn a little bit more when you don't have ultimate success."

Before his and Brentford's fourth Premier League season, Frank believes the positives are clear.

"Season by season, I hope we will have even more control in games, with the purpose of creating more chances," he said.

"We have an exciting club, an exciting squad with good players that have much more in them to go to the next level. We have a new striker in Igor Thiago coming to the club too.

"For all those reasons, and many more, I’m feeling very positive."