Brentford boss Thomas Frank insisted it was a “privilege” to be nominated for the Premier League manager of the season award after the shortlist was announced on Friday.
The Bees secured their top-flight status in midweek, after Leeds were beaten 3-0 by Chelsea, to cap an impressive campaign following their promotion from the Championship last summer.
Frank has been shortlisted for the award alongside Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Eddie Howe and Patrick Vieira.
“Of course it’s very nice, I think it’s acknowledgement of all the great work that the players are putting in out there, the staff and I have said that before,” Frank said.
“Of course I understand that I’m the front man, the one who speaks to you guys (the press) and the one who takes the blame as well but no one can do it on our own, we need a fantastic staff behind us.
“I had a meeting this morning with everyone here, around 70 people just praising everyone for doing a very good job and we have a few values but the key one is of course togetherness.
“The way we as a club express that or do that is unique and that’s the key to maximising this team’s performance because every single action, from the chef to the groundsman, matters but I think there’s more in us and we need to push.”
Brentford could still secure a top-half finish and go into the weekend in 13th, two points behind 10th-placed Leicester and crucially nine above 18th-placed Leeds.
“It is the toughest, by far. There’s no doubt (that the Premier League is the toughest). I think the Premier League is the best league,” Frank said.
“The margins between success and failure in this league is nothing and I think the margins between number 20 to number seven in this league is also really, really marginal.
“So of course it’s a privilege to be nominated but it’s not about me, it’s about us.”
