Brentford: 'Small Club, Big Problems'

Brentford may gain promotion before Wembleys construction is complete (Though I wouldn't bet on it!)

As the summer trundles on, many of the questions posed during you're read will be answered. Many of the suggestions which I have provided may be unproven and wrong however, understand that the months between May and August may go a long way to deciding the fate of Brentford Football Club for the next three to four seasons.

It may be difficult but cast your minds back to January, (snowy weather, unwanted Christmas presents waiting to be taken back, the usual stuff) as the old cliché goes, a week in football is a long time, well five months ago, Brentford were a long way from where they are now.

Would DJ's goals have fired us to promotion?

With three games in hand over stumbling Southend and Colchester, unsung DJ Campbell firing in goals from all angles, including two which gave Brentford a fine victory over Sunderland in the FA Cup, well sadly it appears that the Shrimpers, the U's and DJ Campbell have all had a far better time of it since then. Gaining promotion from League One in fine style, giving Chelsea a battle and signing a dream move to a Premiership side, far behind are the toils of winter for the above mentioned trio.

But what of Griffin Park dwelling Brentford?

Well they may not be dwelling in Griffin Park much longer if Greg Dyke gets his way, but yet again another season which promised so much delivered so little and left Bees fans once again wondering when their time to celebrate will be.

The saga with Martin Allen over the past two weeks has only heightened the need for an inquest into the fortunes of West London's stuttering club. Two seasons in a row, the club has begun to spread its wings and move far away from League One to the promised land of the Championship but on both occasions it appears that like Icarus Brentford's flew too close to the sun, burned up and returned to earth with a bump.

“We need a plan” says Greg Dyke but like beginning the search for the proverbial needle in the haystack, it is difficult to know where to start.

Who would have believed that a team who look good going forward, solid defensively and seemed almost certain for promotion could have got itself in such a state that it is even possible that with a few wrong moves in the summer months could be staring League Two football in the face this time next season?

The Management ‘Crisis'

Thanks for the memories Martin, but we need to move on.

Ok so crisis may be a harsh word but it's time to stop beating about the bush and get someone in place who can take Brentford forward. Love him, hate him or respect him, Martin Allen has done three wonderful years at this club turning them around from relegation battlers to promotion contenders. Essentially that is the problem, we are contenders, to become certainties we need to get someone in charge of this club, who can work on a small budget and is prepared to stay with us through thick and thin. How often is it said that managers can't work miracles over night. Whoever the club choose to appoint as manager needs to have a good rapport with the board and needs to be prepared to work under the conditions which they set. They also need to be here for the long run, the worst thing Brentford could do right now is appoint an ‘interim' manager and by this I mean gamble on somebody who next season might be threatened with the sack. We need to take examples from the best, Ferguson and Wenger didn't turn things round straight away, a manager needs to be given time. A fine example of this is Alan Pardew; the board stuck by him and look at the transformation in West Ham this season compared with when he began.

It suggestible route for the club would be for them to appoint someone with youth on their side as the manager backed up by an assistant with tactical knowledge and plenty of connections to alter the playing side of the club. As my next point follows on, this may be more of a worry than the management.

The Players

Before he departed this fine club Martin Allen released eight players, six of which had featured as regulars in the first team.

When they begin pre season training in July, the Bees squad needs some serious strengthening. As with last year when Allen let Salako etc… go, they need to be replaced with quality this year. Examples of such are Isaiah Rankin and Paul Brooker, experienced pros who know their way around this level of football, both didn't quite perform up to their standards when it came to the crunch but it is essential that however is in charge makes sure that the players who have left/been released are replaced in like for like quality. A balance of both experience and raw talent it needed as well as somebody who doesn't mind putting their foot in.

Brentford youth team had a fantastic run this season and it is important that they are given a chance next season as this is one of the ways in which the club can progress, perhaps a balance of their fearlessness backed up by some experienced around them would be the best blend of team for the club right now.

Jay Tabb and Sam Sodje's departures seem imminent, but it important that if possible the club can hold onto Kevin O'Connor and Michael Turner, both were excellent last year and will be a strong point for Brentford again in 2006/07 as they have experienced the teams which the club will be matched up again. Also the fact that both have missed out on promotion twice will drive them on and increase our chances of promotion.

If anyone else but the aforementioned Irishman and Nigerian are to leave it is essential that the manager (whoever it may be) has a replacement in mind. The two are a key pair for Brentford and arguably the two players who the team focuses around, no doubt the club will be a lot weaker without them but it is possible to do well without you're two best players.

How Brentford would kill for a predator like Eastwood.

The striking department is on that essentially needs to be resolved by the manager first off. It is proven at this level of football that you are only as good as you're front two, if this is a case then we had better start learning to hit the next season as last years tally of goals as the seasons before was pathetic. Two often, the front pairing went missing or missed their opportunities in front of goals.

Willock and Owusu will no doubt be added to more by Rhodes this year and it is important that a player is brought in to fill the void left by DJ Campbell, preferably with pace as this is one thing which the Brentford game lack when he left. It may also be advisable to include a member of the ‘younger' Brentford generation at all times in case a crucial goal is needed. With no fear it might be worth throwing them on in a desperate situation to see exactly how good there are and how beneficial they will be to the future of this football club.

It can't be that hard to hit can it?!

It's no exaggeration to say that every club in this division has at least one natural finisher of real quality, this is a trait which as yet Brentford forwards have not managed to take on board.

The Captain

With the departure of Ricky Newman after just one season as a Brentford player it is anyone's guess yet again as to who will be placed as the Bees captain, though I'm sure the manager would feel that there is no shortage of applicants. In an ideal world were he not to leave Jay Tabb would make an ideal captain, young, talented and leading by example Tabb would get the extra boost of confidence he needs to take Brentford to the higher level, but as his exit is almost a certainty the club will have to look elsewhere.

Who will be wearing it for the Bees in 2006/07?

Stuart Nelson would be a good choice as he is commanding from the back and after a dodgy spell mid season looked impressive despite the struggles which Brentford went through during March, April and May.

After his player of the season award Turner could also do the job as he is also young and his defensive qualities have potential earned him the recognition of being Brentford most valuable players when times get rough. I feel it is essential that someone with youth on their side is made the captain and it should also be somebody who is going to give everything for the shirt week in week out, whether this is somebody we already posses or are going to bring in, it does not matter.

The System

Martin Allen was very much a 4-4-2 man and this is when Brentford looked most impressive but what ideas will the new manager being. Personally I'd like to see some flexibility in the way which the team lines up. Going with a strong powerful player like Owusu or Willock up front works well away from home, but at home clubs came to Brentford to nick a result last season and it is important to control the tempo, not necessarily out playing them but simply overload them when it comes to attacking situations is often a good way to play. The manager will have his own ideas but should follow the traditional model of 4-4-2 however should be increasingly adaptable when things aren't going the clubs way to be able to play 3-4-3, 4-5-1 or even 4-3-3 as these will make the difference when it really matters.

The Tactics

In the early ‘desperation' days of Allen the ball would spend a lot of time in the air, even in 2004//5 success was brought by not always being the most aesthetically pleasing team to watch, however last year we often reverted back to this as many teams do, when things aren't going well. It is unquestionable that Brentford were at their best last year when the ball was on the ground and they were taking the game to their opponents. Players such as Sam Sodje, Jay Tabb, Darren Pratley and DJ Campbell (all of which who will most probably not be representing Brentford next season!) played much better when the ball was moved quickly along the turf, as this exposed weaker teams flaws and it was often easier to cut through teams when the game was played this way.

Arsenal's style of passing (and a couple of their players) could best be addpoted next season.

Obviously depending on who is brought in during the summer the tactics can be adjusted but it would be advisable to Brentford transfers in to made quick, strong and all good passers. In the model of the team which Arsene Wenger has built at Arsenal, speed is the key to the game, though it may not always be possible to play the ‘beautiful game' aerial dominance is something which Brentford do not posses in their locker and unless they feed Willock and Owusu ‘Miracle Grow' during the Summer we will suffer the same fate as last season.

The Conclusion…

So despite all the unrest surrounding the management situation it is important to remember that this club is, has and always will be about more than one man and if success is to be achieved then the previously mentioned areas must have a tick placed against their columns or else Brentford will continue to be the most unlucky team in the league when it comes to playoffs. (Except Lincoln City).