The Bees have spent much of the season struggling in the lower reaches of the table and Frank admits that a campaign punctuated by long winless spells has taken its toll at times.

Asked to assess the season, Frank told Sky Sports: "Tough! But every football season is tough.

"The biggest thing comparing this season to last season is that we have lost way too many games and when you don't win, you don't get that little bit of sugar, that natural little bit of feedback to the brain that says all the hard work is paying off.

"A big thing is looking at the processes, looking at the performances, looking at how the players are developing, because they are still developing even if we are losing. Losing is just a result on the scoreboard and performances are the most important thing."

Frank explained that this season has been the "biggest test" of his career in management so far but he has always tried to keep his cool in trying circumstances.

He said: "It's been probably the biggest test so far. Now, of course it's tough, especially the second spell where we didn't win in nine. But you know that can happen in football and it's not only to me or this club. You see it in every league across the globe.

"There's only one thing to do: stay calm - or as calm as you can be - do what you believe in, keep the energy, keep the belief and keep going.

"You learn every year and just get more experienced. We are quite process-driven, so we do the same every day, every week, more or less, with small tweaks. That helps a lot, especially when it goes down, that we keep doing what we believe in.

"But that takes something because the emotions go up and down and there is all the influence you get from people on the outside. I absorb all the emotions from everyone and just need to keep it down."