Sam Saunders' first interview as Brentford B head coach | OneFootball

Sam Saunders has given his first interview as Brentford B head coach.

Two weeks after stepping into the role having been assistant coach for six years, Saunders discussed his plans for the season ahead, deep connection to the club and how the academy views development.

“It’s a really pleasing moment for myself and my family. I'm really proud to continue the journey with this club.” said Saunders, who scored 30 goals in 206 appearances in all competitions for the Bees and played a key role in promotion from the third tier.

“I think everyone knows how much this club means to me, firstly as a player and now going into my seventh season as a coach.

“I first walked through the doors here 16 years ago as a player and it's a club now that I feel is a part of myself and my family.

“To continue that journey and have a progression within the club and the trust of Phil [Giles], Matthew [Benham], Lee [Dykes], Stephen [Torpey] and the first-team coaching staff is really pleasing.”

Saunders has taken over from Neil MacFarlane, who was promoted to the first team as assistant coach.

“They are big boots to fill. Neil did a fantastic job here got a well-deserved move over to the first team. Me and Neil worked really well together, a good blend, and I don't plan on changing much in the near future” explained the ex-Brentford midfielder.

“Last year the performances were at a really high, consistent level; the players getting promoted to the first team speak for themselves, so the B team is in a good place.

“The pathway is there if you put the hours and the work in, and, most importantly, if you're a good person. The boys have been fantastic since we’ve come back and been so sharp every training session.

“I’m proud to lead these boys for this season and hopefully I can be a small part to help them push on and progress in their careers.”

Saunders takes charge of the B team at an exciting time for the academy, as the 2025/26 campaign will be the second with a full cohort of under-9s to under-18s since reopening.

“There’ll be a consistent message to all of the coaches going down to the under-9s that there will be principles of play, but of course, the basics of our football will never change,” said Saunders.

“The work ethic and as we've always mentioned, being good people. That's the coaches and the players. We want to give players freedom to be creative, and we want to give coaches freedom to be creative as well, whilst all working towards a common goal.

“Throughout the season myself, Stephen [Torpey] and Jamie [Greenwood] will be in constant communication, we will all sit down as time goes on and have a look at things.

“The stuff that we've been doing in the B team has been good, but I think in football, if you stand still, you go backwards. We will always be looking to learn and improve and think about how we can try and make these lads even better.”

Having had six years’ experience coaching with the B team, Saunders has played his part in the development of the likes of Yehor Yarmoliuk who have broken into the first team.

“I don't think there is a blueprint for every player,” stated Saunders. “Everyone's got their own journey. We've got to be really mindful of that at this young age; players develop at different times, at different rates, whether that's physically or mentally or both.

“Everyone's journey is different, but consistency is so important. That's my word. That's always my word: consistency.

“Consistency of how you train, how you sleep, how you eat, how you treat people. Being consistent in wanting to learn, wanting to improve. All those kinds of ingredients are what makes a football player.

“We're really lucky: we've got some great people at the club. Really good young players, really good staff members and an excellent support group. They players are in an environment to thrive - there's no excuses why they can't go and reach their potential if they really give 110 per cent.”

The B team prepare for another season with an intense and test-filled games programme.

“It's in the games where they get their biggest learning,” explained Saunders, “when they're coming up against experienced pros and how they tend to use their body and different strengths.

“We need to get our boys being comfortable with being uncomfortable, and you get that in those kind of scenarios, but they find a nice calmness.

“We’re really trying to develop their learning to solve problems themselves. It's one of the key points I want to implement this year and really get them to understand why they're making the decisions they are.

“We want them to be able to problem solve and hopefully get to a point where they can play in front of 50,000 fans and they can't hear the coaches so they've got to make these quick split-second decisions and have a clear understanding why.”

Academy director Stephen Torpey has spoken in several interviews about what development looks like for the academy, and Saunders echoes these sentiments.

“There are different elements of development; you’ve got the physical side of it, and they've all been doing testing now. Are they stronger? Are they quicker? Are they fitter than they were at the beginning?” Saunders continued.

“Then you've got the psychological side of it. We've got a new team of human performance coaches coming in to help the boys with those aspects. Have they mentally improved? Are they resilient? Can they deal with setbacks?

“It's a difficult time for these young lads at their age, in an environment where it is tough. I put it back to myself - maybe 10 times a year you'd come off a game on a Saturday and feel like you've actually had a good performance.

“So how are you when you don't win or when you're not playing or when you're injured? There are so many different elements that we can look at. Of course, we want to get as many through to the first team and then we look at are we getting these boys out on loan? Are we getting these boys playing first-team football?

“The minimum requirement, as always, is we are trying to make these young men ready for life and better people. Are we shaping them into good human beings to go and show all these tools that we're showing them every day to enter into the world?

“I'm still learning now at 41 so we try and give this group the opportunity to keep improving, because honestly, they're such a good bunch of lads. I love coming in every day and working with them and seeing some of these boys grow from two years ago to what they are now just makes you really proud."

Saunders takes the reins of the B team at the same time the club sees new head coaches in the first team, in Keith Andrews, and the under-18s in Gary McDermott.

“Gary came in last year [as Under 13s/14s head coach] and he's done really well since he's been in the club,” said Saunders.

“He's a good guy and a talented youth developer. We’re obviously always talking about how the boys are performing, who we think should get opportunities and try and just have that relationship like the one we have with the first team.

“Anything they need we make sure that we can do our best to support and help with that. It’s great to have that pathway from U18s to B team, and then to the first team.”

The young Bees set off to Wales on Monday 21 July for a week-long pre-season tour that culminates in a game against Cheltenham Town the following Monday 28 July.

“Nothing will change," said Saunders. "I’m still the same person, still treat people the same way and hopefully the performances will be as good as last year. That's what we look for: performances.

“If the performances are there, the results and the progression within the players and in their careers should be there too.”