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Brentford praised by Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna as good model for newly promoted clubs

Brentford have been praised by Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna as a good model for newly promoted clubs adjusting to life in the Premier League.

McKenna says, per East Anglian Daily Times the Bees have done ‘fantastically well’ and have their own model, while also saying Thomas Frank has done a fantastic job.

He adds that Brentford have something Ipswich can look at and be inspired by. And on the suggestion that McKenna is similar to Thomas Frank, he takes it as a positive.

However, says that Frank has better hair and he’s very jealous, but doesn’t know about a comparison in terms of approach to football.

He continues to praise the Brentford and their boss, including from a cultural point of view, their position in the market and use as data.

Interviewer: “Manager, do you target a little more than others maybe as matches that you feel are some of the more winnable fixtures for you?”

Kieran: “No. No. We can’t target it like that. We know the scale of of every game, every challenge, And this is another big one. This is a team who’ve grew, well established now, I think, in the division, have a good home record, have started well at home, and, are scoring a lot of goals.

“So we’re giving it the full respect, that it deserves. But at the same time, every opponent we faced, every opponent we will have faced, we’ll go into it with belief that we can get something from the game. So this is another opportunity to do that, and that’s one we look forward to.”

Interviewer: “You talk about them being a well established Premier League club. It’s their 4th season in the Premier League now. Are Brentford a bit of a blueprint for clubs like yourselves coming up in the championship?”

Kieran: “I think they’ve done fantastically well. There’s no doubt about it, and, they’ve got their own model. I think everyone’s model is is different, but there’s no doubt that they’ve done a fantastic job as a club.

“And, Thomas has done a fantastic job as a manager and the coaching staff with him. I think different clubs have their own context.

“I think, of course, the things that Brentford have done well that we can take, you know, some inspiration from.

“On the other hand, like I said said their journey is different than ours the season before. They got promoted. They lost in the playoff final. They had a couple of years pushing at the very top of the Championship. By the time they arrived in the Premier League, to be honest, they probably pretty much had their Premier League team already set.

“So they’ve had their own journey. Our journey is very different to that with the speed of the ascent that we’ve made, but there’s no doubt that they’ve done some things very, very well, and that’s any newly promoted club can look at some of the things they’ve done and see it as a good example.”

BRENTFORD’s MODEL:

Brentford’s approach to player recruitment, development, and overall club management has been dubbed as the “Brentford Model” due to its innovative use of analytics, data-driven decision making, and a focus on sustainability through intelligent investment rather than high spending.

Brentford heavily relies on statistical models to identify undervalued talent. This approach is reminiscent of the “Moneyball” strategy.

For Brentford, this has meant looking for players in less scrutinised markets or those who might not fit traditional scouting profiles but show promise in data analytics.

The club highlights the importance of a structured development pathway through its “B team,” which serves as a stepping stone into the first team.

This ensures continuous improvement and assessment of young talents over full seasons, allowing for better development and integration into the senior squad.

Under Matthew Benham’s ownership, Brentford has implemented a long-term philosophy aimed at sustainable success rather than immediate gratification through high spending.

This includes not just recruitment but also in coaching, tactics, and overall club strategy, which often conflicts with more traditional football management approaches.

On the pitch, Brentford has shown an ability to adapt tactically. For instance, they might start in a 4-2-4 formation for goal kicks but transition into a 3-2-5 in settled play, indicating a high level of tactical fluidity and an understanding of how to leverage different formations against different opponents.

They employ a pressing game where they force turnovers by pressing man-to-man from opposition goal kicks, but also defend deep in a 5-3-2 structure when necessary, showcasing their adaptability and strategic depth.

Although not directly part of the “model” in terms of football strategy, Brentford’s approach also includes a strong connection with its community and fans, which might not directly contribute to on-pitch success but builds a sustainable club culture.

While the model has proven effective in lower leagues and during their rise, there’s a debate on its effectiveness in the Premier League where the competition is for talent is more intense, and the financial disparities are stark. The model’s test at this level involves not just finding talent but also retaining it or selling at a profit to reinvest.

Brentford’s model represents a broader trend towards analytics in football, challenging traditional scouting methods.

The Brentford Model, therefore, isn’t just about how they play or recruit but embodies a holistic approach to running a football club with an emphasis on analytics, sustainable growth, and tactical innovation.

This approach has made Brentford a case study in modern football management, proving effective enough to propel them into the Premier League and keeping them there.

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