Brentford’s Youth Team have been challenged to win the Under-18 Professional Development League playing the way they have done all year.
The Bees finished second in the southern section of the league and qualified for the end-of-season Play-Offs.
Anthony Hayes, who coaches the Under-18 players along with Youth Team Manager Jon De Souza, said winning the tournament playing the Brentford way was the ultimate challenge.
The Bees will play Huddersfield Town, who won the northern section, away from home on Monday, April 27, in the semi-final.
The match will be played at Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium and will kick-off at 2pm.
If they win that they will then play in the final.
“We haven’t put any emphasis on the game to the players, we have been treating it as another challenge,” Anthony told Beers Player earlier this week.
“The boys have been training well.
“The challenge for us now is to go and win it.
“They have had a good season and we believe they are the best team in the division.
“We are pitting our wits against a team we have played this year and are looking forward to an overnight stay, good preparation and playing in the stadium.
“The ultimate challenge is to win the game and play with the identity they have developed over the season.”
Anthony said player development was more important than winning games and Brentford’s 2014/15 season had been successful in that regard.
Ten players – Goalkeeper Nik Tzanev, defenders Audrius Laucys, Gradi Milenge and Tom Field, midfield players Zain Westbrooke and James Ferry and attackers Bradley Clayton, Seika Jatta, Courtney Senior and Herson Rodrigues Alves – will be turning professional in the summer to be part of the Development Squad managed by Lee Carsley.
But he added when it came to knock-out football, learning to win was part of development.
“We don’t put an emphasis on winning,” said Anthony.
“Our beliefs are that the individual development of the player is more important.
“We believe we have had a good season in that regard, with the number of players offered professional deals.
“When it comes to a knock-out competition, with a semi-final and a final, we want to put emphasis on winning games and dealing with the pressure.
“It is part of the development.
“We always put performance above result but in these types of games, as in the FA Youth Cup, we will ask for performance and result.
“We want to win playing our way and in what we think is the right way.”
Brentford were beaten 3-0 by Huddersfield when the teams met earlier this season.
The structure of the league sees all the southern teams play each other home and away and then playing each northern team once.
Although they finished second in the southern table, Brentford only won four of nine games against the northern sides.
“It is a difficult place to go,” said Anthony.
“They are a physical side and they get in your face.
“They are direct in possession, it will be a challenge but in a stadium, on a big pitch, it will suit our style.
“The players involved in that game will look at it as a chance to improve things.
“We haven’t done very well against the northern teams.
“It is a challenge the boys are relishing.
“Players in the southern region get used to each other, you play the same players season-in season-out.
“This is a different challenge, it has added something to the league.
“It is nice to play against teams with a variety of styles.”
Anthony said playing matches in stadiums helped players progress.
“We are hoping to get games in stadiums for the boys,” he said.
“This one will be and we have friendlies arranged that will be in stadiums.
“And if we progress to the final that will be another one.
“That adds to their development.
“It is a way to prepare players for First Team football.”
Anthony said the players had reacted well to the news of their contract decisions.
He said they would now want to finish 2014/15 strongly.
“It is difficult for the players when they come up to decision time,” he said.
“Since then I can only credit the players, they have been terrific on and off the field.
“A lot have played with Lee and done well.
“They will now come back to us for the remainder of the season.
“They will want to finish the season strongly individually and collectively and we want to progress to the final.
“But we will treat Huddersfield with respect and see if we can perform on the pitch.”
Anthony said there was a cycle starting at Brentford with players coming through the Academy.
“I think we knew this group was talented,” he said.
“Now we will give these players to Lee, he will work with them to get them in to the Football League and hopefully in to our First Team.
“I hope it is the start of an exciting cycle.
“The staff are striving for one goal, to produce players for the First Team.
“That level is increasing all the time but we believe we have exciting individuals coming through.”
Bees Player subscribers can see a full video interview with Anthony Hayes here.