Brentford have opened up the search for a new manager for the first time in three years after Aston Villa prized Dean Smith away from Griffin Park.
Smith, who replaced the sacked Steve Bruce, left Brentford after three years at the helm during which he led the Bees to three consecutive top-10 Championship finishes, with the club currently 7th in the table with 18 points from 12 matches.
As is custom when a new vacancy crops up, a whole host of managers have been thrown into the mix for the job.
One of the early favourites to replace Smith is Jose Mourinho’s former right-hand man Rui Faria, who yesterday (Wednesday) was the odds-on frontrunner for the Villa post, only to rule himself out of contention.
Up until his Man Utd exit four months ago Faria had been an essential cog in Mourinho’s coaching team throughout the last 17 years, playing a key part in the Portuguese manager’s success in England, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.
However, he’s yet to venture solo into the managerial arena, and for the moment at least is believed to be enjoying time out with his family.
Another significant name in the frame at this early stage in proceedings is Brentford’s assistant head coach Thomas Frank who has taken over on an interim basis following Smith’s exit.
A permanent appointment would make sense given that Frank is fully entwined with the club’s methods and philosophy, along with his relationship with the players.
In terms of managerial experience Frank has previously worked at Brondy and Denmark’s youth teams, while he’s been a Brentford for a touch under two years.
Other bosses in the mix include Carlos Carvalhal, Danny Cowley, Ralph Hasenhuttl, Michael Appleton and Lee Johnson.
