ste1987 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Interview with an Opposition Fan #5 - Brentford Welcome to this week’s edition of Interview with an Opposition Fan. Each week, myself and Razza699 scour for opposition fans to answer the questions we put toward them in the build up to the subsequent fixture. In our 5th league game of the season, Latics make their third trip to London to face newly promoted Brentford. This week, I found some Brentford fans to answer a selection of our questions... 1. Scott was runner up in the LMA League Two Manager of the Year award last season. What are your opinions on your manager Andy Scott? Has he moulded the Brentford team into any specific style of play? - I think Andy is a very bright, young manager. He is still learning the trade, but is doing so quickly with the good guidance of Terry Bullivant. He has got the team playing a fast, forward thinking game. He makes use of the players speed, and it has worked well. - Andy Scott is a wanted man(ager) by many a football club out there. We as fans have every faith in him. - Very impressed after initially being sceptical of his appointment. Happy to say I’ve ate my words. He's proven he can be ruthless when needs be by getting rid of the "dead wood" when he took over and those he doesn't feel will cut it. Yes he's got a team of talented, hungry and mostly young players aiming to play impressive attacking football. - Andy Scott is a young manager who has shown the ability to learn by his mistakes. He has moulded a good team of decent pros who work well as a unit. We have added pace over the summer. - Andy Scott is astute and good. He is the best manager we have had since the last good one, but if we flirt with relegation, he will be the worst manager we have had since the last one. - Nice guy but too much hoof ball through the middle. We have no width. - Mr Scott hasn't put a foot wrong so far. He is our hero. Our style of play could best be described as 'a bugger to beat'. A very committed, determined team that never gives up. But by no means dirty, Bees play some good football. You will find us wonderful to watch. 2. How did pre-season go for Brentford? How did you perform in your friendlies? - I can't comment as I never attended this seasons matches, but I have heard we played some good stuff against the Championship teams, and Aldershot, but against the lesser teams, we seemed to go through the motions, but also suffer from a bit of fatigue/lack of match fitness. - Pre-season is all about getting the players fitness levels ready for a long 9 months. Results were not a real concern in our pre season friendlies. All I can say to you is, be afraid, be very afraid. - I'd say fairly well overall. In the games we played our strongest line ups against Championship opposition we more than held our own for the most part and looked impressive. Also got to blood in some younger players, a lot of whom look promising. - Mixed bag of results, mixed bag of players. - We picked up a striker injury, and some excellent signings, so bad and good. - Pre-season was dreadful. Most of our players are in hospital. - Oh very well. We beat Staines Town you know. 3. Have you made any signings so far? If so, are you happy with them and do you expect any more to arrive before transfer deadline day? - We have signed 12 players. I think of the signings, a few of them look to have something special about them, can change a match. I'd say our best signing so far would be either Sam Saunders or Myles Weston. Sam has made some dangerous runs, and provided some good crosses, whilst Myles has attacked from the centre and shown he can scare a few in the division. - At the last count we've made 12 signings since last season. Out with the dead wood and in with the calibre of player who will do us proud in this new Division. Always over the moon with any player Andy Scott decides to bring in. He does his homework and has the knack of getting the right type of player on board. One or maybe two more signings to come, so a member has told us. - We've made quite a lot of signings and they all seem to have an impressive pedigree/future potential. I'm very happy with them, Saunders and Strevens in particular. Possibly. Central midfield cover and maybe a quick striker on loan whilst MacDonald is still injured. - Several have said we've signed 12 - but only paid fees for three of them (one by tribunal and another from very non-league). The total amount we've laid out up front has been covered by the sale of one non-scoring centre forward. There are two loanees - the rest came on frees. - As always loads of new players - we've paid a fee for Myles Weston (Notts County) and Cleveland Taylor (Carlisle) and signed skipper Alan Bennett (Reading) on a permanent basis. Carl Cort and Steve Kabba add some experience up front, as does loanee keeper Lewis Price (Derby) - a welsh international. - Too many to mention here and it's early days but so far, they all look like good additions. 4. Last season, Brentford were prmoted as Champions of League Two. Realistically, how do you think you will do in League One this season? - I think, barring injury, we can achieve a top 12 finish, maybe even pushing nearer the play-offs, but looking at some of the teams around us, the play-offs maybe out of reach on a literal term. - We will be up there, I have every faith. This club is now going places and I'm not talking Accrington Stanley places - I said pre season I think we'll finish 9th, just missing out on the play offs by a few points. I'll stick by that but obviously hope we'll make them at least. - Realistic ambition is survival and break even. Heart says playoffs and some big scalps along the way. - Higher than 12th, Lower than 7th. We will beat Exeter, who Brad tells me will finish 9th. I do not think Exeter will finish 9th. - We will finish below Leeds. - We will trouble the play-off zone. I'd say there's a 40% chance we'll finish in it. 5. Brentford spent the last two seasons in League Two. Are there any teams in particular you are looking forward to playing in League One? - Everyone. After the likes of Accrington and Grimsby, even Bristol Rovers seem a decent game! - Leeds United away. My 88th League ground visited. - Predictably I'm going with Leeds and also Charlton. - We enjoyed beating Norwich. Leeds are obviously the big draw in the division and a trip to Charlton by boat should be fun again. - Leeds and Hartlepool. - Not in the slightest - bring em all on! Although QPR in the cup would be nice because I genuinely believe we'd humiliate them at this moment in time. 6. So far in League One, Brentford have 8 points out of a potential 12 and remain unbeaten. What would you say are Brentford’s strengths and weaknesses both on and off the pitch? -Our pace, and our left side are our main strengths, and at the moment, I'd say our forward line needs more confidence, but I don't think our team fear anyone as a whole, which is a good thing. - A club that is united. No prima donnas. Great back room staff, who have their hearts in the right place. Some financial backing now as well. We don't dwell on weaknesses, we eradicate them. - The general attitude around the club over the last 18 months or so has grown to be a positive thing and the excitement and hope is back again. Weakness as for many clubs in Leagues 1 and 2 particularly would be financial but even that is currently looking like it might be on the up. - We are a unit both on and off the pitch - fans represented at Board Level. We also have momentum currently. - Strengths - solid defence this season. Weaknesses - we don’t really like our new home kit. - Main strength is our solid defence and never say die attitude on the pitch. Our main weakness is a lack of security off it. Any Tom, Dick or Harry can have a kick about on our pitch. 7. Who is Brentford’s key player and who should we look out for for the rest of the season. - Sam Wood, and Ryan Dickson. Sam is a young player, in his 2nd year of professional football, is still shining this season against the 'bigger boys' whilst Ryan has shown why he started life in the Championship with Plymouth. His thinking is great, which proved in the match against Southampton. - Depends what day of the week it is really. Saturdays are usually good for our right flank, but on a Tuesday! Jeez, our left flank are generally on fire. Be afraid, be very afraid. In all honesty I would personally say our Manager is our key player. - Sam Wood was our player of the season last year and should do well again this year. Sam Saunders looks like he'll be a great success too. Going by his ever increasing performances last season and at the start of this one though Ryan Dickson should figure highly as a key player. - We are a team and don't rely on individuals. That said, Ryan Dickson is a great left back and midfielder Sam Wood was our player of the season last year. Summer signing Sam Saunders also looks a talented playmaker. - Changes from month to month. Early on, it seems to be Myles Weston, soon it will be Saunders, then Bennett, then Price and ending the season it will be Bean. - The squad has changed so much it's difficult to say so early. I would say Myles Weston could be the answer to both questions though. 8. Who do you think will win League One this season and do you think there are any surprises or ‘Dark Horses’ in particular? - Hard to predict this as Huddersfield have spent money in areas that needed it including sharp-shooter Jordan Rhodes. But I actually fancy Leeds this time. They need to keep Beckford, and if they do, all they've done is improve this time, and other than Delph, they haven't lost anyone major. - Leeds or Huddersfield for the title. Tranmere to surprising get relegated. - I had Norwich to pip Leeds to the title pre season so I'll stick with that despite their poor start. I'll say us for the dark horses as quite a few didn't think we'd do much this year so we should hopefully surprise a few people. - Too early to tell - Huddersfield look a good team from afar and Leeds have to get their act together at some point. - Leeds will win, closely followed by Huddersfield - dark horses....Gillingham will finish high up the table. - I think Oldham will win it by Easter. Bees will be the Dark Horses. 9. How do you think Oldham will do this season? - I think they will finish mid-table. They won't challenge the bigger teams of the league, but they have enough to avoid even remotely thinking of a relegation battle. - Middle of the table for Oldham. - About mid table in that group with an outside chance of the play offs but just missing out along with us, Southend, Brighton and Swindon. - No idea having not seen you for a few seasons. Think general opinion is that you are a half decent side. - 10th, unless our message board members predict they will be 10th, in which case, not 10th. - I think they will finish 6th, just above Hunslet in the Co-Operative Championship 10. Finally, what score do you think it will be? (biased and non-biased ) - 2-1 Brentford. I think at home this season, we can and should beat anyone we face. - 3-1 to the soft southerners. - 2-0 home win although Abbot often seems to perform against us so maybe 2-1. - Biased - ten nil Brentford. Unbiased - nine nil Brentford. - We will win 2-1; don't let it put you off coming. - Biased, 25-0 to Brentford. Non-biased, 2-0 to Brentford. Many thanks to those Brentford fans who answered our questions this week. It seems they are a confident bunch, both in the forthcoming fixture against Latics and their chances in the season ahead. However, with Latics' disapointing draw against Swindon, will Latics over come this and come back up north with the 3 points? We'll find out on Saturday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAV Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Interview with an Opposition Fan #5 - Brentford [. Tranmere to surprising get relegated.[/color] Get that man a beer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ste1987 Posted August 28, 2009 Author Share Posted August 28, 2009 Get that man a beer Yeah. May well be a good shout on present form too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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