Brentford Development Squad Manager Jon De Souza said his team had to try and win more games in 2014/15 than they did in 2013/14.
The Bees played 18 Under-21 Professional Development League Two South matches in the season that has just concluded, winning five of them.
Brentford sent many Development Squad players out on loan and included scholars and trialists but Jon, speaking to Bees Player during an extensive end-of-season interview, said his players had to learn to win.
But he added his primary job was to produce First Team players.
“We want to produce a winning group,” said Jon.
“Under-21 football is about results as players have to learn to win.
“But the most important thing is to produce players for the First Team – that is my job.
“We can win the league four or five seasons in a row, if we don’t get players in the First Team I won't have done my job properly.
“Results have been poor this season and need to be better but we decided to loan out players this season which affected the make-up of the group.
“When we didn’t have First Team players, especially towards the end of the season, we have been very, very young.
“Playing teams of scholars and trialists does affect results.
“I don’t make excuses and we will have to try and win more games.”
Jon said some clubs loaned out their Under-21 players and some kept them to play their matches but there was no right or wrong way.
Charlie Adams and Josh Clarke were both promoted to the First Team squad this season and Jon pointed out that did not happen in 2012/13 when Brentford won more matches, keeping the majority of the squad together for the season.
“There is not a wrong or right way,” he said.
“Charlton won the league in 2012/13 and didn’t loan out any players.
“Three or four are now in their First Team.
“Last year we didn’t loan players out and none got in to the First Team.
“This season – 2013/14 – we loaned players out and we have players in and around the First Team.
“The key thing is that most teams want to win and that is what we have to do, regardless of the squad we put out.
“I want to win the league but don’t want to put players’ development at jeopardy by doing it.”
Jon said he was particularly disappointed with a run of games in spring when Brentford had half time leads – against Charlton Athletic, Bristol City and Millwall – and lost.
But he pointed out the squad had learned from that by beating Cardiff City in the following fixture.
He added he hoped they would take the lessons in to 2014/15.
“I wasn’t very pleased with the majority of games,” he said.
“We are not here to win; we are here to learn to win.
“We could have had a real run towards the end of the season because against Bristol City, Millwall, Charlton, we had leads at half time and failed to win the game.
“The disappointment is that we haven’t learnt to win.
“I hope those are the sorts of games we can win next year.
“The problem is there is always a different group.
“You hope the ones that are there will learn.
“We learned against Cardiff – after three games in a row where we had the lead and lost, we played Cardiff, won 2-0 and managed the game well.”
A full end-of-season interview with Jon De Souza is available on Bees Player.