Ivan Toney is unable to play until January and has not been allowed to train with his team-mates
Brentford boss Thomas Frank says he is “proud” of striker Ivan Toney and that his “resilience” should be an example for other players to follow.
The 27-year-old received an eight-month ban in May for breaching Football Association betting rules.
He cannot play until January but can return to training from Monday.
“It’s very good to have him back, he’s a very good player but more importantly a person to have around the group,” Frank said.
“I’m pretty sure he’s also very happy to be allowed back in to play football and to be around his team-mates that he loves to be around,” he added.
“He’s vibrant, definitely, and he’ll give us a lift. We’d prefer to have him in the team, but that’s not possible.”
Instead, Frank says the club have a 16-week plan to get Toney ready for playing in January.
It is a plan Frank believes will Toney will take in his stride. In June, the player said he wanted to be “a different animal when I come back. It’s going to be frightening”.
“I’m proud of Ivan,” Frank said.
“The journey he’s been on, the resilience he’s been showing throughout his life. The progress he’s done is amazing, he should be an example for a lot of people and footballers with what he’s achieved.
“Playing in the lower leagues and constantly getting higher and higher, scoring 31 goals in the Championship, 12 in his first [Premier League] season and then 20, with not even playing 38 games. It’s remarkable.”
Frank was asked for his thoughts on the punishment handed to Nottingham Forest’s Harry Toffolo this week – the defender received a suspended five-game ban for admitting to 375 gambling offences.
However Frank declined to comment, saying he did not know enough about the player’s situation.
“The only thing I would say is what can the Premier League and FA do to help footballers? We maybe should look at the bans themselves, of how that should be, as I’ve said before.”
