Tonight’s prestigious Under-16 friendly against Barcelona is an exciting prospect for everyone involved in Brentford Football Club, according to Academy Director Ose Aibangee.
An Under-16 squad is in Barcelona now for the match, which will take place this evening.
Ose, speaking to Bees Player this week, said Miguel Rios, Brentford’s Head of Academy Recruitment, was the man responsible for getting the match on.
Ose said everyone involved was looking forward to it and it had caught the imagination of those at the very top of the Club.
He said to be able to play a game like this was an indication of the work that had been done at Brentford since a restructure of youth development started early in 2010.
“Miguel Rios used to work in Barcelona and has contacts out there,” said Ose.
“He asked them for a one-off friendly fixture.
“We are all excited to be part of it.
“All the staff and players are looking forward to it.
“It should be a great event.
“Barcelona are a big club, not just in terms of First Team but also in terms of Academy.
“To go out there four and a half years in to our restructure is an unbelievable achievement.
“It’s really exciting.”
Ose said the squad that was heading to Barcelona had experience of big games and were not scared.
They had beaten Internazionale, better known as Inter Milan, in the spring and finished fifth in the prestigious Milk Cup this summer.
Ose said it was a learning experience for all but The Bees would go there to compete.
He hoped to repeat the Inter win and one achieved by an older squad against AZ Alkmaar last year.
“It is a learning experience,” said Ose.
“The players play against some of the best players in the world, no doubt about that.
“The coaching staff can go there and share best practice at one of the best Academies in the world.
“We are really looking forward to it.
“We will go there to compete.
“We have had similar games against AZ Alkmaar and Inter Milan and have won both.
“We will go there to do the same.
“If we can win, great, but we are looking to perform well.
“There are eight or nine players that went to Milan that are playing against Barcelona.
“They know it will be challenging but they are not scared.
“They feel they can go there and get a result.
“The key thing is that it is a learning experience.”
Ose said Club Directors and Brentford FC Owner Matthew Benham had spoken to him about the match and he hailed the support of Brentford Manager Mark Warburton.
“Everyone connected with the Club is excited by it,” he said.
“The players, parents and staff are but I have also spoken to Directors and the Owner about it.
“The Manager has been first class, he has given us encouragement.
“Everyone is looking forward to it and we hope to come back with good news.”
It has been a busy period in the Academy with a coaching restructure.
Lee Carsley has arrived as Development Squad Manager while Jeremy Steele has left the Club.
Jon De Souza has taken over as Youth Team Manager, having previously been in charge of the Development Squad.
Ose said Lee had “unbelievable” playing pedigree, with international experience and Premier League games with Everton, Birmingham City and Derby County, and a good coaching background at Coventry City.
Ose said he was made aware of Lee’s availability by Brentford Assistant Manager David Weir, who played with him at Everton and worked with him at Sheffield United, and Sporting Director Frank McParland.
Ose backed Lee to pass on his experience and help Brentford’s youngsters through to the First Team.
“It came through David Weir and Frank McParland,” he said.
“They alerted me to the possibility of getting someone with the calibre of Lee Carsley.
“I then met him.
“He has unbelievable playing experience, playing hundreds of games for big clubs like Everton, Birmingham and Derby.
“He also has a wealth of coaching experience and has his Pro Licence, the highest qualification you can get in this country.
“He has worked in Coventry’s Academy and was Assistant Manager at Sheffield United.
“He comes in with a good pedigree and first impressions have been excellent.
“The players have taken to him and I am sure he will be a success.
“We are gearing players at Under-21 level to play in the First Team.
“He can pass on his expertise.
“We are here to get players in to the First Team; he will be integral to that.”
De Souza will revert back to Youth Team Manager, a position he held in the 2011/12 season.
“Under-18s is a key area for us,” said Ose.
“Under-16 football is part-time and they come in to a full-time environment.
“Jon knows the full-time environment inside out and back-to-front.
“It is important that we get the right people in that transition phase.
“Jon has worked with the Under-18s before and also with the Under-21s.
“He has been excellent in those roles.
“You need the right staff with the right age groups, then you have a good Academy.”
Brentford’s Youth Team won their first game under De Souza, against Cardiff City on Saturday.
They are top of the Under-18 Professional Development League Two South but Ose said that was not the most important thing.
The key aim was still to produce First Team players.
“The Youth Team are doing really well,” said Ose.
“Not only are they doing well in the league, there are players involved with the Under-21s as well.
“I said last year our Under-18s would do well this year, our Under-21s are not doing so well but next year they will do better.
“It takes time, it is youth development and it does not happen overnight.
“We have very competitive groups from Under-Nines to Under-18s that can compete with any club in this country and maybe, given the Barcelona match, in the world.
“I have no doubt our Under-21s will be as competitive next year.
“It does take time, we are on a journey and four and a half years in.
“It would be great to win the competition but the key aim is to get players in the First Team.
“If you look at the Under-21s, Alfie Mawson, one of our top players, is playing for Wycombe Wanderers.
“That is important for his development, to get him in the First Team in the future.
“It would be great to win every league but we mustn’t forget our main goal and we might need to weaken teams sometimes to prepare players for First Team football.
“If we can do both, that will be ideal.”
Ose also spoke about two international call-ups – Ross McMahon was called up to Scotland’s Under-16 squad for a one-day training camp and Harry Francis was with the England Under-15 squad for a weekend camp.
“That is an unbelievable achievement and recognition of this Academy,” added Ose.
“We are moving in the right direction and it is a matter of time until we produce First Team players.”
A full video interview with Ose Aibangee is available here for Bees Player subscribers.