Brentford Football Club Academy Director Ose Aibangee said new Sporting Director Frank McParland was someone he could turn to for help and advice and he was pleased he had arrived at Griffin Park.
There were managerial changes at the Club earlier this month.
Former boss Uwe Rösler left the Club and Mark Warburton, who had been Sporting Director, was named Brentford FC Manager.
Frank McParland, former Director of Academy and Head of Player Development at Liverpool, arrived at Brentford as Sporting Director.
Ose said he had the opportunity to work for Frank at Liverpool a few years ago but turned it down to run Brentford’s Academy.
He said he had a good relationship with the former Liverpool man and thought he would get even more help now he was at Griffin Park.
“Three and a half years ago I had to make a decision,” said Ose, speaking to Bees Player.
“I was going to work for Frank at Liverpool and I had this position offered to me here at Brentford.
“I chose this.
“My relationship with Frank goes back five or six years.
“Even when I came here and didn’t take a job at Liverpool, I spoke to Frank regularly to pick his brain.
“He has a wealth of knowledge, expertise, experience and in my role here Frank has helped me.
“He will help me more now.
“On occasions when I didn’t know where to turn, I have picked up the phone to Frank and he has helped and advised me.
“I am glad he is here, he is someone I know I can lean on when I need help and advice.
“He has worked at one of the biggest clubs in Europe, done my job and been successful.
“It’s ideal for me.
“We think we are doing things right but there is always room for improvement.
“Frank will help us improve.
“He will bring things to Brentford to enhance our Academy.
“We want to be a top five Academy.
“I spoke three and a half years ago about being a top ten Academy; I think we are close to that already.
“In the next year or 18 months I want us to be a top five Academy.
“Frank’s contacts and experience can help us get there.
“Having someone like Frank here is massive for us.
“I am sure he had lots of opportunities, he chose Brentford.
“Frank being here is a real sign to others that things are going in the right direction.”
Ose spoke to Bees Player about a range of topics during a lengthy interview last week.
He outlined his “excellent relationship” with Uwe Rösler and said he thought Mark Warburton taking over would be good for the Club.
“I had an excellent relationship with Uwe,” said Ose.
“From the Academy’s point of view, we supported Uwe and the First Team staff, that’s our brief.
“But he supported us as well, he was very helpful, honest and open.
“That filtered down through the Academy.
“It was disappointing when he said he was going to leave.
“He phoned me and personally thanked me for all my support and I did the same.
“It was a great relationship.”
Ose said there would be a “seamless” change with Mark Warburton taking the managerial post
He said he had known Mark Warburton for a few years and had always known him to be successful in everything he had done.
“There won’t be a lot of change,” said Ose.
“That’s ideal from a Club point of view, from an Academy point of view and, in my opinion, from a First Team point of view.
“It will be a seamless change.
“I have a great relationship with Mark and Mark has a great relationship with all the staff.
“During the time he has been here he has supported all of us.
“We will support him, the next five or six months will be key for Brentford, pushing to get in to The Championship.
“I have known Mark many years personally and professionally.
“He is very good at his job.
“Everything I have seen him involved in, he has been successful.
“I have no doubt he will be successful here.
“We need to support the First Team staff as we did with Uwe.
“We spoke every day before he got the manager’s job.
“He understands youth development, how to introduce players in to the First Team squad.
“He knows when to give a player a debut, it makes easier for the players going in to the First Team squad, they will have a manager who understands the difficult step.”
Another important piece of news for the Club this month was permission being granted by Hounslow Council’s Planning Committee for a new 20,000 seat stadium at Lionel Road South.
Ose said he spoke to potential young players about the Club’s plans and could now use this to help recruitment.
“It is excellent news,” he said.
“We speak about the ambition of the Club when we talk to young players.
“Now we can say the project has moved on.
“We can now talk about the first Academy player to play in that stadium.
“I would like to think there will be two or three players on the pitch when it opens.
“It is a good challenge to set to the players.”
A new indoor sports facility at Uxbridge High School that will be used by Brentford Football Club’s Academy and students at the school is now complete.
Brentford FC and Uxbridge High School have agreed a partnership to allow players from the Academy to attend the school and train on site.
As part of the upgrade of the Club’s Youth Development department, a new indoor facility has been built at Uxbridge High School.
The facility has a fully enclosed 60m by 50m pitch with Third Generation artificial turf, learning zones, changing rooms, a gym and a physio room.
“The dome is excellent, it is going really well,” said Ose.
“It is an inspirational environment for players and staff.
“It enables us to plan for sessions whatever the weather.
“There is also benefit for the parents.
“It is a unique facility, when we started we wanted something practical but with a wow factor.
“This has it.
“We have had calls from people inside and outside football wanting to have a look.
“The news is spreading; people have come to look even though it is not officially open.”
Ose said the 2013/14 season had been excellent so far.
Development Squad players Josh Clarke and Alfie Mawson had made their Brentford debuts while there was also game time for Luke Norris, Emmanuel Oyeleke and Aaron Pierre and Charlie Adams and Tyrell Miller-Rodney were named in a match day squad.
“It has been an excellent season so far,” said Ose.
“The key thing is developing young players to play in the First Team.
“We have had five layers playing competitive matches.
“Some of those players are out on loan.
“We have good boys that have played for the First Team and are now gaining experience so they can help the First Team, either later this season or next season.
“We are a couple of years ahead of where I thought we would be.
“The future is definitely bright.”
Josh, Alfie, Luke, Emmanuel – known to most as Manny, and Aaron are also now out on loan playing First Team football.
Ose said the reports from those players and about them had been excellent.
He said it had affected performances in the Under-21 Professional Development League.
Brentford finished fourth in the Under-21 Professional Development League Two South standings last season but were ninth out of ten this year, albeit having played fewer games than most other clubs.
“We have had excellent reports on those loan moves, both from the clubs and the players,” said Ose.
“The staff at those clubs have said they have contributed and, more importantly, they have been a credit to Brentford Football Club in the way they have conducted themselves on and off the pitch.
“We think the perception of Brentford is important.
“Results are important to a point.
“Last year it was important the Under-21 team did well, we made a point of asking the players to stay around and show the Club could perform.
“We decided this year the key thing was to see if they could play with the First Team.
“Some trained with the First Team, which meant they couldn’t play in all our Development Squad games and some went out on loan.
“That weakened the Under-21 team but in the long term is better for the players, and that is better for the Club.
“It is difficult to get the balance but we always do what is best for the player.”
Ose spoke about the Youth Team’s campaign in a piece that can be read here.
He added decisions were made about who would be taken on for two-year scholarships to play in next year’s Youth Team and discussions were ongoing about which players to take on as professionals with Development Squad contracts.
“We have regular meetings,” he said.
“We have made our decisions about the scholars for next year, the Under-16s.
“We will sit down after Christmas and tell them.
“Discussions are still being made about professional contracts.
“I want Frank to be part of those and part of the decision making.”
Ose Aibangee’s mid-season interview can be seen on Bees Player here, here and here.