Lee Carsley said he felt the time was right to get back in to coaching after taking up the position of Brentford Development Squad Manager.
The former Republic of Ireland international started his new job last week.
He will take charge of his first game tonight, Tuesday October 28, an Under-21 Professional Development League Two South match away to Crystal Palace.
Lee spent his entire playing career in the top two divisions, most of it in the Premier League, and then moved in to coaching.
He coached the Under-18 and Under-21 groups at Coventry City and also had a spell as manager on a caretaker basis and then worked at Sheffield United with Brentford Assistant Manager David Weir.
Lee had spent the last few months working for the Premier League, supporting clubs including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion in their Academy work.
But he said he had the chance to come to Brentford and thought the time was right.
“I was working at the Premier League,” said Lee, speaking to Bees Player last week.
“I had been a Club Support Manager and was looking after Arsenal, Tottenham, Aston Villa and West Brom, getting an education on how different Academies work.
“I was understanding that part of the game.
“I felt this was the right time to get back in to football on the coaching side.”
Lee said he had kept an eye on Brentford over the past 12 months and was now getting acquainted with the young players coming through the system.
“Since David joined I have taken an interest in the First Team,” he said.
“I watched the last two Development Squad games and the last Under-18 game.
“I am trying to get my head around the amount of players in the system and those that have a chance.
“Hopefully I can help them somewhere.
“I started my coaching badges when I was 30.
“I was with the Under-15s and Under-16s at Everton and took a college team on my days off in Birmingham.
“I finished playing at 37 and went in to the Under-18s and Under-21s at Coventry.
“I ended up managing Coventry for six games.
“I dealt with administration there.
“I went to Sheffield United with David, that didn’t work out but I am back in it.”
Lee outlined his football philosophy.
“I want to play football,” he said.
“I want to pass through the thirds and create chances.
“As a player, I was defensive and destructive.
“I was having to stop creative players.
“I understand how to stop a creative player and I know what positions they need to get in to to affect games.
“Everyone wants to play like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich but you have to coach the level you have.
“You have to get players through in to the professional game so as a coach you have to adapt.
“Ultimately you want to create players for the First Team and give them the tools to function in the professional game.”
Lee said his time at the Premier League had given him information on how to create top-level First Team footballers.
He said he fully believed in the Elite Player Performance Programme (EPPP), the new way of organising young player development in England that started in the summer of 2012, and said it would bear fruit over time.
“I have learnt the strategy behind creating players,” said Lee.
“It helps having good players, they will come through.
“Spending time on and off pitch mentoring them will also help.
“I played 300-odd Premier League games so I know what it takes to play at that level.
“Hopefully I can pass that on.”
Lee said he wanted Brentford’s Development Squad to win football matches but that was not the be-all-and-end-all.
He said he had worked at Coventry and brought players including Callum Wilson and Cyrus Christie through who had subsequently left for large transfer fees.
Lee said his strength as developing players and he wanted to produce First Team members for Brentford FC.
“Results are important to the players,” he said.
“I have not come to lose games but producing a player that can add value to the First Team is what it is all about.
“At Coventry we had players like Callum Wilson and Cyrus Christie in the First Team through necessity.
“That was at the expense of the Under-21s, they were still eligible.
“Both have moved on for big fees.
“I see my strength in developing players.
“I was caretaker manager at Coventry and I know I don’t want to do that at the present time.
“We had success in getting lads through to the First Team.
“I felt better when a lad made his debut than when the First Team won.
“That is where I see my strengths.”
A full video interview with Lee Carsley is available here for Bees Player subscribers.