Ethan Pinnock has given an insight into Brentford’s pre-season USA tour experience.
Brentford are currently enjoying a pre-season tour of the USA, during which they will play matches against domestic rivals Fulham, Aston Villa, and Brighton in the Premier League Summer Series.
The Bees take on Fulham at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia this afternoon. Centre-back Ethan Pinnock has opened up on his experiences of the tour so far, saying, “from the first few years when I first got into a professional set-up, the environment, compared to the stadiums that we’re going to visit here, it is a bit surreal…it’s the first time a lot of us have been out in the States, even to visit, so for many of the boys it’s all new…it‘s been really enjoyable and we’re really bonding on this trip, especially with the new players. Nathan [Collins] and Mark [Flekken] have settled in really well,” as quoted by the club’s official website.
Pinnock, and the rest of the Brentford squad, have earned this exciting Stateside trip. Thomas Frank’s side were fantastic in the Premier League last season, eventually recording a 9th-place finish.
Brentford’s new challenges
The Danish coach will be looking for even more this time around though. Pinnock agrees that the club can achieve even more, stating that “every season we look at ways in which we can improve…each year, we’ve taken another step…we’ve got to look forward and push for the maximum.”
How Brentford can cope with the absence of Ivan Toney, who is banned until January, remains to be seen. There will be pressure on the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Yoan Wissa, and new boy Kevin Schade to produce in his absence. As for Pinnock, the 30-year-old Jamaican faces competition for his place in the side from Nathan Collins, who recently arrived from Wolves.