Harlee Dean said Brentford had a “great chance” of going one better than last season and earning promotion to The Championship.
The Bees were beaten in the League One Play-Off Final last season after finishing third in the table.
They start the 2013/14 campaign away to Port Vale on Saturday, looking to make the step up.
Harlee spoke to The Bees Player Show after playing in Brentford’s pre-season friendly win over Cardiff City on Tuesday and said the players were confident they could do it.
“We were close last year,” said Harlee.
“Last year we were an unknown quantity and we weren’t sure at the beginning if we could do it.
“This year we believe we can.
“We should do it with the squad we have got.
“We are all confident.
“We all want to be Championship footballers.
“We have a great chance and we can’t wait to get going.”
Alan McCormack also spoke to The Bees Player Show on Tuesday.
He joined The Bees from Swindon Town in the close season and said he had been brought in to help Brentford win promotion.
Alan said Manager Uwe Rösler had asked him to bring the experience of nearly 350 professional games to the table.
“When we met in the summer, the manager spoke to me about the lack of experience in the squad,” said Alan.
“He said he wanted someone who knew when to calm things down and when to press.
“Not just Saturday, but Monday to Friday in training too.
“I’m trying to help those younger boys, they push me forward to get as fit as them.
“Hopefully my experience will help.
“I have been asked to come in and help the lads add a bit to win promotion.
“In the football world, we are fancied for promotion.
“We may slip under the radar, build on last year and hopefully, we’ll be top at the end of the season.”
Brentford fell 2-0 down to Cardiff in Tuesday’s friendly.
Harlee said the first quarter of the match was tough but after Brentford switched to a 4-4-2 system from a 4-3-3 they started to get on top.
The defender said he did not feel there was much between the teams and Brentford eventually came back to win thanks to a brace from Conor McAleny and Paul Hayes’ late goal.
“It was tough to get to grips with how they started,” said Harlee.
“We didn’t adapt quickly enough.
“But after that I thought we did really well and can be proud of ourselves.
“I didn’t think there was much between the teams but when we made mistakes they punished us quicker than we did when they made mistakes.
“We have to be a bit better but it was a good game and technically I don’t think there is much between us.
“They are a Premier League team but I don’t think there is a lot of difference.”
Alan added: “We came back very well.
“We struggled in the first 20 to 25 minutes; they seemed to have men everywhere.
“We struggled to get close to them, our organisation wasn’t great.
“That was disappointing.
“As a team our response was great.
“We dominated the game in the second half.”
Harlee said Brentford’s squad was better than the one he was part of last season.
He said the way the players could interchange would be very useful over a long season.
“The squad this year is better,” said Harlee.
“We are fitter, faster and technically better.
“The new lads that have come in understand their roles.
“It is going very well; we want to take it in to the league on Saturday.
“Everyone is a First Team player.
“Everyone knows their jobs and roles, it will hand us in good stead for the season.”
Alan said the never-say-die spirit in the squad and the close knit nature of it was clear against Cardiff.
He said the new players found it easier to come in to a squad that had stuck together after last season.
“It is a close squad from last year,” said Alan.
“They went through a lot.
“Myself, Will Grigg and Jack Bonham came in at the start and it is easy to come in to a squad where the main core is still there.
“They are a great bunch of lads.
“The willingness to never give up was clear to see tonight.”
The best bits of The Bees Player Show from the Cardiff match will be available soon.