Lee Carsley said he was relishing the pressure of getting players from Brentford’s Development Squad through to First Team level.

The former Republic of Ireland international took over as Development Squad boss at Griffin Park late in 2014.

He admitted there was a pressure to provide players for the First Team but said that was how it should be.

Lee worked with Under-21 and Under-18 players at Coventry between 2011 and 2013 and said he saw that as his speciality.

“I feel the pressure to provide players and that is how it should be,” he said.

“The reason I don’t want to be a First Team manager or coach is that I don’t enjoy that side of it.

“At some point I will be but I see my speciality in Under-21 or development players.

“I had a good time at Coventry.

“I understand the pathway, even though it is not the same for every player and that is the exciting bit.

“I was a professional for 18/19 years at a good level.

“I understand the pressure and I am used to dealing with it.”

Brentford’s Development Squad for 2014/15 will include ten players that have just progressed from the Youth Team.

Brentford finished second in the Under-18 Professional Development League Two in 2014/15, losing to Charlton Athletic in the final.

Lee said he was involved in the decision to award professional contracts but said Academy Director Ose Aibangee, Youth Team Manager Jon De Souza and coaches Anthony Hayes and Joe Maloney knew them better.

Lee said them coming up to Under-21 level as a readymade team would not make a difference to him as his primary responsibility was to produce individuals.

“I was involved in the decision to award contracts,” said Lee.

“Next season I will have more of an impact as I will have spent more time with them.

“Of the ten we took on, there are three or four that we have big hopes for.

“Six or seven have a lot to do.

“The players need to see the reward for doing so well.

“Them coming in together makes it easier for them.

“I try to get away from the team mentality, we need three or four players.

“If we win the league next year but don’t get a player in the First Team, I don’t see that as a success.

“Ultimately we want players through to the First Team.

“The better the player the more chance we have got.”

Lee said those ten players had a big few weeks ahead of them.

He said they could get ahead of their peers if they were working during the summer break.

“The first pre-season is massively important,” said Lee, speaking to Bees Player at the end of the 2014/15 season.

“That have six or seven weeks to get a head start on everybody else.

“Some will relax for four weeks and then realise they are training in two weeks, they will come back out of condition before they realise it.

“They will be judged on that straight away.

“They can make massive strides physically or technically when their peers are on holiday.”

Lee watched Brentford’s Under-18 Professional Development League Two Final loss to Charlton but said he didn’t learn much.

The Bees lost 1-0, conceding an early goal and being unable to respond.

“I wouldn’t make a snap judgement, they are a competent team,” he said.

“I think the result was fair, we didn’t do enough to win the game.

“There wasn’t a lot in the game.

“It has been a successful season for them and I have seen them play some good stuff.

“Sometimes the magnitude of the game gets the better of them.

“We felt more pressure to win the game than Charlton.

“Charlton sat off and looked to counter-attack, which is unusual.”

Lee said it would be a new experience for those new professionals.

“It is important that from day one they realise they are in a working environment, it is serious now, it is not a game,” he said.

“Standards have to be high, on and off the pitch.

“They have to perform and act like elite athletes.”