Seika Jatta wants to put his recent injury problems behind him and show everyone at Brentford what he can do after signing his first professional contract.
The 18-year-old striker was restricted to just eight Youth Team games last season, scoring three goals in a stop start 2014/15 campaign.
However having been offered a new two-year deal to run through until 2017 Seika wants to hit the ground running and reward Brentford for the faith shown in them.
Speaking to Bees Player Seika said: “I feel brilliant and I am really happy to sign a two-year contract. I didn’t really expect to get a two-year contract but I am really happy to get one. Brentford have put a lot of trust in me. Last year I didn’t do well but they saw something in me from when I was an Under-16 and an Under-17 and that is why they gave me a two-year contract.
“They told me to step up and do more. I need to try and stay fit and get enough games because last season I didn’t get enough games. This season I want to try and be consistent and try and get games every week. My goal is to play for the first-team. If I can’t play for them then my goal is to try and be on the bench but I really want to play for Brentford’s first-team.”
The tall striker also backed the Development Squad, and the manager Lee Carsley, to bring the best out of him in the years to come.
“Lee Carsley is a great manager,” said Seika. “Last season he showed some trust in me and he always tried to push me up to train with the Under-21s. I can see that he has trust in me.
“I like to play with the older boys. When I play with the Under-21s they are more mature and they know the game more. When I make runs they know whether it is time to put the ball in for me or not. I can always learn from those guys. They are older than me and they have more experience so by training with them every day I will get more experience from them.”
Seika is one of ten of last season’s Youth Team to be offered a Development Squad deal for this season after the Youth Team finished second in the Under-18 PDL Two South and also made the Play-Off final.
The striker believes all the boys can take a lot of confidence from last season forward and that will help them face up to their new challenge.
“I am looking forward to playing with the guys again,” said Seika. “Last season they were brilliant and they are all really good players. Last year the boys were really confident. In our first scholarship year the boys weren’t that confident but the second-year we were really confident and we did really well. Hopefully we can continue to do that going into next season.”
Watch the full interview with Seika below