Luis Melville of Brentford FC CST & local community station Westside Radio89.6FM caught up with Andy Scott at the training ground on Thursday.
Westside Radio 89.6FM offers comprehensive previews and match reports on all Brentford home and away games on Saturday afternoon 2-5pm. At home games take radio to the ground and listen in or take part in the show by calling 020 8571 1188, emailing presenter@westsideradio.co.uk or text the word 'WESTSIDE' followed by your message to 60300. Got a view about Brentford then it get them heard.
Luis Melville: No doubt it was frustrating not to play on Saturday? Did it give you a bit of extra time to get your thoughts around all the loan deals and signings you needed to make on the Monday?
Andy Scott: No, not really. They were already in place and ready to go. We've been working on them for some time. Obviously the lads we already have here on loan we wanted to extend their loans further but getting John Akinde was something that we had spoken about with Gary Johnson at Bristol City and we had to speak to him on Sunday just to make sure that he didn't have any injuries and he was still OK with it. It was disappointing to not have the game on Saturday but clearly it was the right decision. The pitch was very hard and it would have made a lottery of the game.
LM: Could they have called it off the day before?
AS: I'm not sure really. We went up there on the Friday and in the afternoon it was bright sunshine and it wasn't too cold but when we were training later that day it started to get colder and then in the evening it got very cold and the temperatures dropped massively. They put the covers on but clearly it wasn't enough to dispel the harsh temperatures that were up there. Clearly we would have liked to have it called off the day before but the temperatures dropped massively overnight.
LM: The loan signings, obviously the one you're probably most happy with is Wojciech Szczesny. Did Arsene Wenger take a bit of persuading? What was the deal breaker on that one?
AS: Well I'm delighted with all the loan signings but certainly with Wojciech's. It was the one that was probably going to be the most elusive and the one that was going to take the most work to get done and even at the last moment , it was a case of 'is it going to happen?'. Andrew Mills who's been working on the clubs behalf to secure all the loan deals and do all the contracts has pulled a major coup for the football club. I don't think people realise what it takes to get these sort of players to come to Brentford; all the discussions, phone calls and the meetings that you need to secure these type of deals. He's worked overtime on this one as well as the other ones and he's played a massive part in all the players we've brought in the time that I've been here.
LM: Concern might be the wrong word but what were there any concerns about Arsenal releasing Wojciech, for the rest of the season?
AS: Well clearly they were looking at their goalkeeping situation and making sure that they had sufficient cover for their Champions League fixtures plus checking the rules and regulations in calling players back. We've got him until the end of the season but they were unsure about the emergency call backs which they had to check out. They were perfectly entitled to do that and we helped them out in every way. We were upfront with them and told them exactly what we felt about the whole situation, what the rules were and we've worked very closely with Arsenal over the last couple of months and I think they appreciate our honesty and that's why they let him stay. So all in all we are delighted to have him in the squad.
LM: He clearly wanted to stay!
AS: He wanted to stay from the first month that he was with us. He made it very, very clear that he wanted to stay. He loves playing the games and he enjoys being around us. I think he obviously spoke with Arsene and made it clear that this is what he wanted to do for the rest of the season and fortunately it all came off.
LM: Do you think that's going to open the door now and cements the relationship with Arsenal for future loan signings?
AS: Well hopefully. Certainly we'll continue to do all that we can. We're not going to stop doing what we've done to get Wojciech here. We will continue to send Arsenal detailed reports and videos on his performance and keeping them abreast of how he's performing and training because it's important for them to know how he is doing. We'll continue to do that over the course of the season and if we can develop the relationship and push it on a little bit more then that's something we'd like to do and I'm certain that Arsenal can see that as a positive for them as well.
LM: And John Akinde, what's he going to bring to the side?
AS: Well John's a different kind of player to all the centre forwards we've got at the club and clearly we needed to strengthen that area. We only had three out and out centre forwards and he's a very powerful, quick player. When he played against us last year he caused us some problems.
LM: He's got a bit of a previous against you!
AS: Yes and clearly we knew about him when he was at Ebbsfleet but he was out of our price range. He went to Bristol City for £140,000 but they're the sort of players you keep your eye on just to see if they don't make it at that level. They might need to drop it down a level or to just get games so they can go and prove themselves so I'm very aware of things like that. I've got methods of looking at players and when managers move about and stuff like that. I'll keep the secrets to myself but there are ways that you can keep abreast of players that move around and keep a check on them so when they do become available you can be the first in there.
LM: And Lionel Ainsworth, he got a run out on Tuesday in the reserves game against Millwall. What was your assessment of his performance?
AS: Very good. Everyone who was there could see that he's very direct, quick and gets crosses in. He's very comfortable on the ball and with Cleveland going to Burton for the rest of the season we needed to strengthen that area. Sam Saunders is starting to show the form that he was showing in pre-season and certainly last year so there's competition in that position as well.
LM: I think if my maths is right you've now got 6 loan signings. Is that business done now and focus is on the football?
AS: Yep, that's the business done for us. Clearly if we brought anyone else in on loan it creates problems about leaving people out. So that will be us done on signings for now. We've got 22/23 players who are all more than capable of playing in the first team in League One. The reserves side we put out the other day could challenge in League Two and that's the first time probably that in the time I've been manager that we can actually say the reserves side has been as strong as I would have liked it. That shows the strength and depth we now have and it's taken a lot of hard work to build the squad that we have. It's going to be difficult to keep every one happy. If the first 11 keep playing the way they have been then it's going to be difficult to dislodge those players.
LM: So everyone's definitely playing for their shirt now?
AS: Without a doubt. You can see everyone is a potential first team player and I'll have no hesitation putting anyone in because they're all capable and they'll be pushing hard to get that first team place. The ones that are in the first 11 have got to make sure they hold onto it.
LM: Looking ahead to Saturday's game against Gillingham, it's going to be a spiky old contest with your old 'friend' or 'foe' Mark Stimson. They've got a shocking away record - 3 points all season. Surely that's a home banker on my fixed odds coupon?
AS: Well everyone is going to say that but with the added spice of the previous event they've got to get on a winning track. They have a very good home record, which has fallen away a little bit recently. They haven't won so many games at home so it's important they pick up more points away from home otherwise they are going to drop into the bottom four and we'll be doing our best to make sure that doesn't start on Saturday. We've got a very good home record ourselves and we want to make sure ourselves and we want to make sure we maintain the form we've been having recently and keep picking up points. We need to keep looking ahead rather than looking below us and it's another opportunity to beat a team that is below us and put more distance between us and them.
LM: Gillingham seems to be in a bit of turmoil at the moment. Mark MacCammon was reportedly forced to train with the youth team earlier this week and there were a few words between him and Mark Stimson. Is that something you've got to use to your advantage with your team in the pre-match preparation?
AS: Well I think it's something certainly from our point of view we don't have here. We've got a really good squad of players who understand what we are trying to build as a football club and know they want to be part of it. There's no disharmony here but we'll be going out and won't be thinking about what they're doing or what's happening at their football club. That's for Mark to sort out. If he's got problems then we want to capitalize in on it by being what we are. We are Brentford Football Club and we play the way we play and exert ourselves on them and hopefully come away with 3 points.
LM: Is it difficult to try and forget all what was said last time round. I was actually looking at the referee that's been assigned to the game Pat Miller and he likes to show a card or two and he's refereed you and Gillingham this season showing at least six cards in each game. Are we heading for a bit of a 'card fest'?
AS: You'd like to think not and commonsense has got to prevail. The pitch isn't going to be perfect and the weather clearly it's going to be wet. With a game of this type it's going to frenetic. Tackles are going to be flying in but I'd expect that from both sides whoever they were playing against. You'd like the referee to show a bit of common sense and obviously keep a good check on the game that there's nothing untoward happening. For us it's another 3 points available and whatever happened before we got a good win out of it and whatever was said afterwards is 'by the by' but certainly getting 3 points would make it another sweet victory for us.
LM: Probably bar Nikki Bull, you've got a full and fit squad to choose from?
AS: Everyone is fit. Nikki's doing very well with his rehab. He saw the specialist last week and he's very pleased with him. Nikki is probably further ahead than they thought so that's encouraging. He's still a fair way off but he's starting to come out and train with us and do some little bits and pieces of ball work with the goalkeeping coach. He's on the road back and hopefully once we've got him back we'll have everyone fit and it'll be a really good run in to the end of the season.
LM: This promises to be a really tremendous game. Once again is it a plea to the fans to come down and get behind the team?
AS: I think our fans that went to Gillingham were treated to a nice open away in the freezing cold, £25 to get in, in the pouring rain!! It's an opportunity for our fans to show exactly what a real true Griffin Park welcome is really like. I'm sure the Paddock will start it off and will get behind the team and the rest will follow. We need the whole place rocking and letting Gillingham know that Brentford F.C doesn't lay down for anyone!!
LM: That's brilliant Andy. Thanks very much and good luck on Saturday.
AS: Cheers
Transcribed by Alison Bennett
