Is this today’s big unveiling?

Is this today’s big unveiling? I don’t mean at Leeds United, where their stunning 2016 calendar goes on sale, but of course at Brentford. Whilst we’ll get to Elland Road shortly, in TW8 we are five days on since Lee Carsley announced he’d spent his last game in charge of the first team. However, at the time of writing (Thursday morning, 6.30am) we are no closer to knowing who will succeed him in time for the televised game at Bolton Wanderers on Monday.

On what is, traditionally, ‘press day’ at the Brentford Media Centre, could we meet the new man? Or woman? Few clues have been given out beyond the mention of names as diverse as Pep Clotet, Justin Edinburgh, Uwe Rösler and, erm, Neil Warnock. Even our beloved local press, so often happy to chuck any ‘transfer related double swoop’ name into the mix, in the hope that some mud sticks, have gone silent on the topic. So will we find out today?

I’m no wiser. As a humble blogger my own knowledge is no greater than anybody reading although I share your enthusiasm in wanting to find out who the next occupant of the monogrammed training wear will be.

What I can confirm is that, currently, my own availability is yet to entice Matthew Benham to pick up the phone. With a 100% win ratio as co-manager of ‘Brentford Legends’ and a failed (on the assumption that nothing got ‘lost in the post’ ) application to manage Preston North End back in 1990 on my C.V., this can only mean there is a ‘big gun’ lined up.

Although if not…Mr. Benham – I’m still good for it.

Could the reply still be lost in the post?

The other reveal that is definitely due is that of the new Leeds United 2016 calendar. Apparently this has been deemed ‘controversial’ but I think it’s nothing short of pure class. Put together by nightclub owner and friend of Massimo Cellino, Terry George, it features the players in what could be deemed ‘unconventional’ poses.

Certainly , it bucks the trend from the standard ‘match action’ calendar that contains the sort of pictures we see on websites and in programmes, day in day out. The club have even put together a launch video on YouTube showing the players in everything from their smalls to fishing gear.

All of which got me both admiring the brilliance but also wondering if there is time for us to go down a similar route. Assuming, of course, that the marketing team don’t already have something similar lined up.

‘Brentford is Brilliant’, proclaim signs all around the town. What better way to show this than have the players involved in a series of shots celebrating our heritage?

David Button juggling hot plates in Brentford Tandoori. Harlee Dean feeding the ducks at the canal. Alan Judge at Brentford County Court.Lewis Macleod picking up the leaves in St.Paul’s Park.

Perhaps, though, we’ll leave Sam Saunders away from the car wash.

Could we have a new Mr. January 2016 ?

The video shows more briliance

 Nick Bruzon

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Dean marchin’ , Lee walking but three more points.

Brentford stormed to yet another last gasp win, this time over Nottingham Forest, as a 2-1 victory proved yet again the ‘never say die’ attitude in this team. In scenes reminiscent of this season’s game with Ipswich Town and countless more at Griffin Park over the last few campaigns, Forest played the ultimate price for letting the Bees play to the final whistle. But it was the red card for Harlee Dean that has overshadowed the points and the confirmation from Lee Carsley that it was his own final game in charge.

The big centreback was shown straight red after a stupid flash of petulance saw him lash out at Forest’s Jonathan Williams. It was the briefest of moments, coming straight after a clumsy challenge by Dean on Nélson Oliveira saw a free kick awarded and a tussle over the ball with Williams.

But however brief or aggrieved one might feel, there’s no excuse for raising your arm. Referees have been programmed to show red in such instances and to do so at any time, let alone right in front of the ref and with his own team leading, was utterly inept.

His cause wasn’t helped by Williams collapsing like a sack of spuds but the damage, compounded by the Forest player’s Lazarus style recovery, had already been done.

“Harlee will be a big loss for us. He was one of the boys not doing themselves justice at the start of the season, but he is now playing like a leader” said Lee Carsley after the match. For somebody who was being touted as a potential captain at the start of the season, these were anything but the actions of a leader. The challenge was cumbersome but the subsequent action was inexcusable.

We’ve been saying for the last few weeks that a red card is coming, although usually in the direction of Alan McCormack. Given Lee’s confirmation that he’s had his last game in charge, this couldn’t have come at a worse time for the player given we’ll have a new manager looking to run his eye over the team.

I’ve asked many times who drives ‘official’ twitter and this was one of many such instances. Reading the match feed, it was as though we’d been somehow wronged.

‘Official’ twitter have their own view on the incident

 

Of course, ‘live’ comments can be made in the heat of the moment but the theme was then followed in the official match report, describing it as an “altercation”, before later adding, “Williams bounced up seemingly untouched as Dean marched angrily towards the dressing room.”

Football is an emotional game and things happen in an instant. That said, if one of our players does something like this then at least have the good grace to hold up your hands and acknowledge it afterwards. Albeit that, of course, such action is what got Harlee into trouble in the first place.

We’ve all got eyes and the majority view at the time from those who saw it was that the ref got it right. Terrace observers made comments including, “Deserved”, “Definitely a straight red” and “Furious. He’s denied us any chance of seeing Sam Saunders”.

Review of the footage, which has been available to all on the Sky website since 5.15pm last night, would further support this view. It would take a pretty blinkered fanatic not to accept that, in this case, we were in the wrong. Yet instead we plough on, North Korea style, with tales of glorious victories and atrocities committed against the imperious Bees.

Hey, don’t get me wrong. The victory itself was glorious! David Button keeping us in it until the second half turning of the screw. Sergi Canos opening proceedings when he got on the end of Harlee’s header – a final meaningful contribution before marching off for an early bath – only for an almost instant post red equaliser.

But, again, this only galvanised the Bees. Pressure built and wave after wave of attack was eventually rewarded in the 96^th minute of the game. Philipp Hofmann fired through, and around, a crowded penalty box to send the crowd wild and Mark Burridge, up in the Beesplayer commentary box, to a level of excitement not heard since his ‘Burridgegasm’ at Blackburn Rovers.

Sky viewers see the aftermath of that winner

But despite the win, I can’t help but be drawn back to that red card incident. I like Harlee Dean and it’s not particularly pleasing having to write negative comments about him, or any player. However, I can only call things how I see them. I’m sure he’ll learn from this and maybe even protest innocence but the footage is pretty damning.

Still, we are where we are and in Jack O’Connell have a more than capable replacement for the trip to Bolton Wanderers next Monday. Instead, the next question is more around who will be in charge for that one.

Lee Carsley confirmed after the match that it was pretty much his last game, with a new manager due to come in over the next couple of days. Who this will be remains under firmly under wraps with names as far reaching as Pep Clotet, Justin Edinburgh and even Neil Warnock being bandied around.

For now, I just want to thank Lee – a reluctant hero – for more than steadying the ship after the ill-fated experiment at the start of the season. Things didn’t quite work out , despite a glimmer of potential, but the transformation since the changeover has been an incredible one.

Lee has the honour of a ‘manager of the month’ award and the Bees are now just four points away from the play offs . No doubt there’ll be plenty written about the new appointment over the course of the coming week but, in the short term, Lee can step away with his head held high after a great job, very well done.

Lee  Carsley – HUGE thanks from the fans

Nick Bruzon