Brentford: Thomas Frank responds to criticism of Leicester players after Christmas party | OneFootball

The Bees boss says everyone “needs a bit of partying in your life”

Thomas Frank says there is a time and a place for footballers to enjoy Christmas parties, after Brentford’s opponents on Saturday, Leicester, received criticism for the timing of their own.

Brentford are at home on Saturday to the Foxes, who will be managed by caretaker manager Ben Dawson, with the final details of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s arrival as the next permanent manager yet to be completed.

Speaking on Friday, Dawson called his players’ antics in Denmark as “unacceptable”.

Asked for his own take on things, Bees boss Frank, a Dane himself, admitted: “I love Christmas parties. Especially my own! I think it’s good to party once in a while, if I’m completely honest.

“When I was young, at that age, I probably badly wanted to party. Players have responsibilities and you need to take care of your body. But I still think in life you need to be pragmatic.

“If you are 100 per cent one way, I don’t think it’s good. So you need to have a bit of partying in your life.”

Frank continued: “But there are good and bad times for everything. It's a Leicester issue, so I can’t comment.

“If my players plan a Christmas party after a game and we lose 5-0 or something and it’s a horrendous performance, the players need to know there’s a risk that you need to cancel.

“But you can’t live your life thinking that you can’t do what you plan to just because you have won or lost a game.”

Frank expects a fiery display from Dawson’s Leicester, who are just one point above the relegation zone ahead of visiting 11th-place Brentford.

“Quite often in the first game after a manager has gone there can be a big impact,” Frank said.

“I expect a very difficult game against a good team with top players.”