Daniel Bentley revealed he is excited by the challenge of becoming Brentford’s number one after he joined The Bees from Southend United. The 22-year-old signed a four-year deal in West London on Friday and met his new teammates for the first time at Jersey Road this morning. New-man Daniel said that Brentford has a great reputation around the country for giving young players a chance and that was a big factor in his decision to move to Griffin Park.
“I am absolutely delighted,” said Daniel, speaking to Bees Player ahead of training earlier today. “It happened quite quickly to be fair. Signing up, having a medical, and it being announced all happened in 24 hours so I am absolutely delighted to be here. The club has a history in terms of bringing through younger players, and giving younger players a chance. This club offers a stepping stone to playing at a fantastic level. With the facilities that the club has, and its support, it is a fantastic place to be. The opportunity for younger players was something I was certainly drawn to. I know a couple of the lads here who have always said that it is a great place to be. Players who have been at the club, like Paul Smith who I played with at Southend United, said it was a fantastic place to be and that was an added reason that swayed me to come here. It was a no-brainer in the end.”
Daniel spent seven years in Essex with The Shrimpers after being released by Arsenal in 2008. He won the club’s Supporter’s Player, Player’s Player, and Community Player of the Year awards after their promotion winning 2014/15 season, a year which also saw him make the League Two Team of the Year. A poor end to the season cost The Shrimpers a place in the League One Play-Offs last campaign and Daniel felt that the time was right to look for a new challenge.
“Southend was a great place for me and I have a lot of great memories there but I thought it was time for a new challenge and for me to step up and hopefully ply my trade in the Sky Bet Championship,” said Daniel. “I am the first to admit that I am very much a perfectionist. In everything I do in training and in games I try and aim for perfection. By no means am I the finished article but the one thing I will do is strive to get there. Until the day that I retire I will try and better myself and do everything in my power to improve day in day out.”
Daniel joins a tight knit goalkeeping unit that already includes Jack Bonham and David Button working alongside goalkeeping coach Simon Royce. Basildon-born Daniel feels that working with David, Jack, and Simon will bring the best out of him and help his challenge to be The Bees first choice keeper.
“It will be an excellent battle for the number one shirt,” said Daniel. “There is a healthy competition for places throughout the whole squad and the goalkeeper shirt is no different to that. I was aware of that when I signed but when you work with excellent players, day in day out, it brings the best out of you as a player. That is something I am looking forward to and a challenge that I will relish. Simon Royce was at Southend United, so we have got that in common. I have met the boys and I am looking forward to getting out and being involved in the goalkeeping unit and the rest of the squad as well.”