Alan McCormack said the enthusiasm of Manager Uwe Rösler was a key factor in him signing for Brentford Football Club.
The 29-year-old Irishman left Swindon Town at the end of the 2012/13 season when his contract expired and signed a two-year deal at Griffin Park on Monday.
He said Brentford was the “perfect” place for him and he was very excited about what Brentford could achieve with a young team and a new stadium on the horizon.
He said he hoped The Bees could go one better than last year when they finished third in npower League One and lost in the Play-Off Final.
“I was very enthusiastic about what the Manager had to say,” said Alan, when discussing why he had chosen to come to Brentford on Bees Player.
“He has a lot of ambition to succeed in football and he wants that to be at Brentford.
“When I spoke to him I thought it was the right place for me to come with the way Brentford want to play and where they are going.
“There is a new stadium coming up and a young side that produced some excellent displays last year.
“I want to be a part of that sort of football and part of a team that can take Brentford one step further than last year and get in to The Championship.
“This was the perfect place for me to come.
“I am very, very excited about the prospects of the Club, the players that are here and what we can achieve.
“I’m desperate to get going.”
Alan captained a Swindon team that pushed with Brentford for promotion last season.
Swindon finished sixth and lost to The Bees in the Play-Off Semi-Finals before Brentford then lost to Yeovil Town at Wembley.
Brentford came within a whisker of promotion on the final day of the season, missing a stoppage time penalty that would have given them a 1-0 win over Doncaster Rovers and sent them up.
Alan said there was a determination at Brentford to go one better than 2012/13 and he wanted to work with people like that.
“You could describe Brentford as unlucky last season,” he said.
“In the last month of the season everybody had a few mistakes, a few dropped points.
“The final day of the season was so close and that will be an incentive to go one better next year.
“Hopefully there will be more quality added and we can go one step further.
“I have spoken to a few people about the group, this is a determined bunch.
“There are players who give 110 per cent every game.
“Those are the players I want to be around.”
Alan was part of the Swindon team which won npower League Two and reached the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final in 2011/12 under Paolo Di Canio, usually playing in the centre of defence.
He also captained The Robins for a part of that season and was named ‘Player of the Year’ at the Wiltshire club.
He played 45 games in all competitions for Swindon last year in both defence and midfield and captained the side for the majority of the season.
Alan said he was glad to bring his ability to play in different positions to Griffin Park.
“Under Paolo Di Canio I played in the back four,” he said.
“I spent an entire season there in League Two; I learned a hell of a lot and enjoyed it.
“Paolo taught me how to play there.
“I played both sides at full back and also played in central midfield.
“I will play where the Manager asks me.
“The Manager knows where I can play.
“It’s a nice thing to be able to give to a club.”
Alan reported for pre-season training with the Brentford squad yesterday and said it was good to be in at the start.
He will head to Germany with the squad at the weekend and added a trip would help all new players settle in.
“It’s vital to be in at the start,” he said.
“I have had a few pre-seasons and know they can be hard.
“I can get to know the boys quicker.
“We will go away next week and everyone will stay together.
“You get to know everyone quicker and get settled quicker.
“I’m excited for it to start now.”
Bees Player subscribers can see a full video interview with Alan McCormack here.