Nathan Collins exclusive interview: ‘Brentford in Europe would be massive, we still have a chance’ | OneFootball

The Republic of Ireland captain opens up to Standard Sport on his attendance record, Europe, and keeping hold of key men this summer

Nathan Collins holds the extraordinary record of not having missed a single minute of any of Brentford’s 37 Premier League games this season. In fact, he is the only outfield player in the entire league to have played every second of this campaign.

“A few people have said about it, but I don’t put too much thought into it. The biggest thing is to be available. It [playing 90 minutes again] is not the most important thing.”

Collins is motivated by other targets instead, most immediately the goal of helping Brentford into Europe for the first time in their history.

The permutations are complex and, even once they have claimed the required three points against Wolves, out of their hands. The Bees would still need Brighton to lose away to likely still-hungover Tottenham, Chelsea to finish seventh in the Premier League by messing up their Nottingham Forest away trip, and Chelsea to win the Conference League next Wednesday.

Nathan Collins celebrates scoring against former club Wolves in the reverse fixture earlier in the season

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“I’m trying to stay optimistic; there still is a chance,” Collins says. “We have to do our business, win our game of football, and let the rest take its course. For Brentford to get into Europe would be massive. If we don’t do it this year, that’s the chat we’d want to have before next season. We’ve put ourselves in a good position this year, and that’s the main focus now come Sunday.”

Collins speaks to Standard Sport from the Brentford dressing room at their Jersey Road training ground the morning after the club’s end-of-season awards night. The 24-year-old arrived by Lime bike to the event in Richmond, no more than a two-minute cycle from his house. For the players’ player of the year award, his vote went to the eventual winner, Denmark midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard.

Last season saw Brentford stave off relegation but finish 16th, their lowest position since they have been in the top flight. This season, they are ninth with a game to go.

“It’s hard, it’s just football,” he says of last term. “Even this season, there’s two teams down there that you never would have expected to be down there — and that’s because the standard of the league has gone so hard,” Manchester United and Spurs mentioned but not named. “If you take your foot off the pedal, you’ll drop down.

“We had a lot of injuries that affected us, but this season not as many. I do believe it’s been a special season. What we’ve done on the pitch, it’s a season I’ll never forget.”

Life is good for Brentford’s ever-present, made captain of Ireland by manager Heimir Hallgrímsson during last year’s Nations League campaign.

We’ve put ourselves in a good position to qualify for Europe this year, and that’s the main focus now come Sunday

Nathan Collins

“To be fair, I captained a lot of teams through Ireland under-age,” he explains. “I was able to captain Stoke at a young age, too. Seamus [Coleman] was an unbelievable captain, who I learned so much from. He’s had a few knocks in recent camps and someone had to step up. The manager chose me, and I was honoured for that.

At his club, Collins endured a difficult first season for the Bees last term, having arrived as their then-club-record £23million signing from Wolves in July 2023.

“After last season, the manager and coaching staff wanted me to step up a bit more, wanted me to be more of a leader. I think I have — I’ve become more of a leader, spoken up more, served the team more, blocked out the noise.

Team effort: Brentford

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Brentford face a challenge this summer in keeping hold of key assets, such as head coach Frank and striking duo Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo.

“The journey Brentford has been on, to be able to compete in and around the top 10 and compete for Europe is a massive achievement,” Collins reflects. “We have dreams and aspirations to get into Europe, but if we don’t, to have won so many games is unbelievable.”