Thomas Frank is ‘100 per cent’ sure Ivan Toney will follow former Brentford striker Ollie Watkins and earn England call-up in the near future… insisting the forward is in ‘the shape of his LIFE’
- Ivan Toney scored 31 Championship goals last term as Brentford were promoted
- Toney has scored two goals and assisted twice in six Premier League games
- The 25-year-old missed out though on Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad
- But Bees boss Thomas Frank is confident a call-up will come in the near future
Brentford manager Thomas Frank is confident that Ivan Toney will follow in the footsteps of ex-Bees striker Ollie Watkins and get an England call-up in the near future after the striker’s brilliant start to the season.
Bees boss Frank is ‘100 per cent sure’ that 25-year-old Toney will receive an England call-up sooner rather than later.
Toney scored 31 goals in the Championship last season as Brentford were promoted to the Premier League.
Thomas Frank is confident Ivan Toney (above) will get an England call-up in the near future
Former Brentford striker Ollie Watkins (L), now at Aston Villa, has earned a call-up previously
‘He’s done well,’ Frank said.
‘I like that players need to prove themselves first, but I’m 100 per cent sure he will.
‘If he continues to improve and do well then I’m convinced Gareth will look at him when the time is right and I think he will get his chance.’
Toney has scored two goals and assisted twice so far in six Premier League games this season and ahead of another London derby away at West Ham on Sunday, with a win potentially taking the Bees to as high as seventh and above their opponents, Frank believes that the player has improved physically and mentally after a strong start to his season.
‘Ivan’s mentality is amazing because he believes in himself,’ Frank said. ‘He’s in the shape of his life.
Frank also hailed the 25-year-old’s ‘amazing’ mentality and says he is in ‘the shape of his life’
‘We’ve had an amazing pre-season and he came back in a good place and trained very hard.
‘He’s able to link up well and press high in the 85th/86th minute, he’s winning the headers, and he’s in the right positions.’
Frank also understands that the step-up from the Championship to the Premier League can be difficult for players, but he believes that being able to keep the intensity up when transitioning to a different league has allowed not only Toney, but his Brentford team to thrive so far.
‘If you are prepared for the intensity then I think you’ve taken a large step to being able to perform in the Premier League, which Ivan has done.’
Apart from the long-term absentee in the form of Josh DaSilva, Frank has a fully fit squad at his disposal.
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