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How Bees make football honey

How does one explain Brentford punching about their weight?   This is what their co-director of football, Rasmus Ankersen, told Off the Pitch, emphasising that their player development model is as important as their recruitment model:

He explained how the club changed their academy strategy and how they organise and work with their B-team. They used to be caught in a classic academy mindset, which saw them beaten by wealthier rivals

According to Ankersen, Brentford's success is only partly due to the data mindset they have when recruiting players. People tend to forget all the hard work that is required when new players arrive in a new environment.

Brentford see their players as assets they need to develop. And therefore, they work intensely on improving those assets from the minute they arrive in West London.  They depend on turning other clubs' misjudgements into quality players.

The foundation on which Brentford's progress has been built is the governance structure at the club. You cannot develop players in an environment where short-term solutions always win. Therefore, their structure is different from most other clubs.

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