Ellery Balcombe feels that The B Team have come a long way in the last few months and is excited about how far they can continue to go. The goalkeeper, who turned 17 last weekend, signed a three-year deal at Griffin Park earlier this week to take him through to the summer of 2019. Speaking after signing that deal, Ellery praised the coaching staff in the B Team for how much they have helped him to develop and thinks it is a trend that is going to continue.
“I am glad that it is done and that I can really focus on training now,” said Ellery, speaking to Bees Player. “Life is good under Flemming Pedersen. He has really helped my development as he focusses on goalkeepers more than other coaches. He helps us to understand the game more. Kevin O’Connor is a good coach and he has learned a lot from Flemming so that is good too. The team has developed so much over the last season and we are improving every game. Jani Viander has helped a lot. He understands the way that Flemming and Kevin O’Connor teach and is helping me to develop my goalkeeping skills. The training standard and the tempo has gone up so much.”
Brentford restructured their Academy in the summer, moving from a Development Squad to a B Team with closer links to the first-team squad. Ellery feels that change has already proved really beneficial to the squad and he is looking forward to working more with Daniel Bentley and Simon Royce as the season progresses.
“The B Team is really good because there is a great relationship with the first-team,” said Ellery. “It helps a lot knowing where you can go and how you can get there. Before the end of the season I want to get involved more with the first-team and maybe be able to play in the friendly. I speak to Daniel Bentley a lot. He is very experienced and he just shares that with me to help me.”
Ellery’s performances this season have not gone unnoticed outside of TW8 as he has been called up twice to the England Under-18s group. After not playing on his first trip away with the Young Lions, Ellery made his debut against Sweden earlier this month in Stockholm.
“It was a real honour to go away and make my debut with England,” said Ellery. “I am so glad that it has happened now and I want to focus on the next games with them. I have been playing a year up which has helped me because the older boys are more physical and that makes me stronger. Playing up also helps me when I drop down an age group as I have the confidence of knowing I can play with the other boys.”