Football: Brentford’s Frank says abuse directed at managers is a ‘disgrace’
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Brentford manager Thomas Frank has backed Graham Potter after the latter received death threats following Chelsea's run of poor form.
REUTERS
LONDON – Brentford boss Thomas Frank has said that the abuse directed at managers is a “disgrace” after Graham Potter and his family received death threats amid Chelsea’s run of poor form.
Potter said last Friday that he received abusive e-mails from fans – the Blues have won only twice in their last 16 matches and dissatisfaction with the Englishman is aplenty.
“As much as I’ve had support, I’ve had some not very nice e-mails that have come through that want me to die and want my kids to die, so obviously that’s not pleasant to receive,” said the 47-year-old Potter.
“Ask my family how life has been for me and for them. It’s been not pleasant at all.”
Chelsea fell to a 2-0 English Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, which added more pressure on Potter and riled the fans further, and Frank said he felt “massively” sorry for his counterpart.
“Unfortunately, in some cases, it (the abuse) is part of the industry and... that’s a disgrace. One abuse is one too many,” he told the BBC on Monday.
“It’s the few that are the noisiest and we hear the most. It’s very important that we need to be aware that there are still a lot of fans out there that back them.”
Frank and Potter know each other fairly well. They met in the Championship with Brentford and Swansea, and have since met in the Premier League.
“First and foremost, he’s a very good man,” said Frank.
“Secondly, he’s a very good coach and it’s proven that he can do a good job. A good coach can work at every club.
“And this is not against Chelsea but it’s just that, sometimes, the circumstances create an environment where it’s difficult to get everything to just click.
“There’s a lot of new players, the team isn’t in sync, trying to find the right balance of players.
“A lot of players have been in and out (of the team). Graham is searching for a solution and I’m convinced that, over time, he will find that solution.”
The Brentford boss added that a manager’s role is a “lonely job”.
“Hopefully, we have some good friends that can look after us if, and when, we lose our job,” the 49-year-old Dane said.
“We are maybe the only ones that really know the pain you are feeling. It’s a lonely job. (The pressure) on assistant coaches, players, directors – it’s just different. It’s important that support’s there.” REUTERS