Brentford’s sports psychologist Michael Caulfield has opened up on the role he and his dog have played in the west London club establishing himself as a Premier League outfit.
Thomas Frank’s side are now mainstays in the English top flight and very few teams relish the prospect of travelling to Brentford, partly due to their combative mentality.
Brentford have been proven to be resolute, despite conceding in every league game so far this season, as they sit comfortably in mid-table and adjusting well after Ivan Toney’s departure.
“There are four benches here now, two – for the academy – are having an official opening next week,” Caulfield told The Guardian as he discussed his open office policy.
Legendary jockey Sir AP McCoy recommended that Caulfield re-trained as a psychologist, bringing his cat Paisley along for the ride as the pair have been a huge benefit to the Bees.
“Myself and Thomas [Frank] often sit down and have a bit of lunch,” Caulfield revealed. “After he signed his new contract [in 2022], he said: ‘I’m jealous of you, Michael. You don’t understand, you’ve got one thing I’ll never, ever have and, by the way, that goes for most people in this building.’ I said: ‘Go on then’ … ‘Time.’ And that’s my innovation.
“I’ve got time and I create time for others to have time. I’m always working towards that moment when the music stops, so for Monday, when it’s red and white stripes v Fulham’s white and black shorts, 11 v 11. I’m trying to keep that joy and soul in football.”
The New Zealand rugby team, who recently defeated England at Twickenham, have visited to sit on Caulfield’s famous bench. He claimed that the All Blacks “nearly broke it” but found their stop very beneficial, as have Aaron Hickey and Keane Lewis-Potter during their time out injured.
Caulfield was chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association and worked for Hull and Middlesbrough before joining Brentford, and describes football as “the greatest meritocracy in the world”.
He has been at Brentford since 2016, joining a few days before Frank, but admitted that there had been some questions about his presence at the club.
“They accept it,” he explained. “They understand it, they appreciate it, I think, but they also question it as well. It is great because they challenge me.”
Danish star Henrik Dalsgaard, who achieved promotion with Brentford, recalled Caulfield’s arrival: “A bloke comes in with his dog, walks around the pitch and we give him the heavy stuff from our hearts. I’ve been doing it this morning … I walked with a B team player. He was telling me about his week; he’s finding his way in life.”
