Tottenham manager Thomas Frank will experience a special moment in his career as he returns to Brentford's home ground as an opponent for the first time since leaving the club.

Reflecting on returning to his familiar ground, Frank stated frankly that this was by no means an ordinary away game. He exclaimed, "This is very special. The nine years I spent there, especially the seven years as manager, mean that the Brentford fans and my colleagues will always hold a special place in my heart."

Frank even joked that the first thing he did upon arriving at the stadium was to make sure he didn't go to the wrong dressing room. Frank said that this complex emotion precisely illustrates how significant that period was for him, but he also emphasized that once the opening whistle blows, he will professionally dedicate himself to the task of securing three points for Tottenham.

Speaking about his observations of Brentford, Frank expressed his satisfaction with his former club's current situation. He pointed out that Brentford is a model of "organizational structure" in his mind, and even after losing its head manager, several key coaches and players, the team can still remain competitive in one of the world's top leagues.

“This impact is sustainable, which makes me very happy,” Frank said. “I was involved in building a strong culture and structure that allows the club to select coaches from within and move forward. This is exactly what I hope to replicate at Tottenham: to build a stable and strong organizational culture that is not dependent on individuals.”

Despite his lingering memories, Frank calmly analyzed the challenges of the upcoming match. He pointed out that Brentford are very tough, while Tottenham are currently facing the predicament of missing key players due to injury. He specifically mentioned the "ugly victory" against Crystal Palace in the previous match, believing that the ability to win even with an imperfect performance is an essential quality for title contenders.

Frank concluded that returning to familiar ground with familiar fans and players is indeed special in every way, but his only goal now is to lead Tottenham to victory in their first match of 2026 in a familiar yet unfamiliar stadium.