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WORDS AND PICTURES: MARK CHAPMAN
THE BIG INTERVIEW:
SHAUN O’CONNOR
Academy Head of Recruitment
Shaun O’Connor talks to Bees
Review about his life in football
and how his job is 24/7 in ensuring
the best young schoolboy talent
comes to Brentford.
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THE BIG INTERVIEW: SHAUN O’CONNOR
“I hated him; that’s why I brought
him here, because he’s the best at
his job.”
Those words were from the lips of
Brentford’s Academy Director Ose
Aibangee, talking to author and
journalist Michael Calvin about
Shaun O’Connor, for Calvin’s book
The Nowhere Men, where in more
than 350 pages, he explains the life
of a football scout.
It is fascinating reading for
any Brentford fan, for not only
is Owner Matthew Benham
interviewed, several key members
of Brentford’s Academy are too,
Shaun included.
Those that delve into the chapter
on Shaun will subsequently view
his appointment at Brentford as
a coup.
“I’ve known Ose over twelve years,
and worked with him at Arsenal,”
said Shaun.
“I was his first appointment at
Brentford.
“He pestered me, and got me in
the door.
“Originally I thought the project
would only be for two years, but
this is my fourth year now.
“The first two was having a look at
what we had, it was difficult.”
Shaun had a brief to improve the
recruitment of young Brentford
footballers and make the Academy
one of the best in the country.
“Miguel Rios was my first
appointment,” said Shaun
“Pre-Academy ages were a major
area that we needed to get right,
especially within a six mile radius
of Brentford.
“With clubs on the doorstep like
Queens Park Rangers, Chelsea,
and Fulham, we need to be ahead
of them, so I brought Miguel in,
and he’s done a very good job.
“He ran for me the West London
Development Centre at Arsenal,
and how he went about his work is
what impressed me.
“Miguel has got a passion for the
game, and has built a network,
and understands how important
it is.”
Shaun spent several years at
Arsenal, scouting and recruiting
talent from London and Home
Counties, before joining
Brentford’s Academy with a vision
to make it one of the
country’s best.
Amongst others, he spotted Jack
Wilshire for Arsenal and is well
respected within the game.
Shaun is a chirpy character, and
his North London roots are always
apparent as soon as he talks.
“I was born in Islington and grew
up in Hornsey,” said Shaun.
“And that’s how I ended up being
an Arsenal fan.
“My first game at Highbury was
around 1972.
“I remember the game, it was
Ipswich Town - I think George
Graham may have scored.
“It could have been either Arsenal
or Tottenham Hotspur as I went to
school in Haringey, luckily I
picked Arsenal.
“Charlie George was my first hero,
after he scored the winner in the
FA Cup Final against Liverpool, the
month after in the school yards
were all about pretending to lie on
the floor after scoring a goal.
“From about the early, mid-1970s
onwards I went to every home
game, and then in the late 1970s
and early 1980s I was following
them everywhere, away games,
Europe, the World.”
Like many in the Academy, not to
mention the First Team, his route
into professional football was not
via playing the game.
“My first job was in removals,”
said Shaun.
“That didn’t last very long, and
then I went into tiling and
laying carpets.
“I landed an apprenticeship in
plastering with a company in
Tottenham, did three or four years
doing that, that was my main trade
at the time.
“I ended up going to New York
in late 1985, with the intention of
seeing the World Cup in Mexico
the next year, but things did not go
to plan as I wanted.
“I got the bus down from New
York to Clearwater on Superbowl
night in 1986, and then got a job
in Clearwater as a dishwasher
working my way up the laddrer
them eventually becoming a cook.
“Afterwards I got across to the
west coast, I got a job in a Mexican
restaurant in San Diego, trying to
get enough money together to get
down to Mexco.
“The plan didn’t go so well, and
ended up running out of
money again.
“I flew back to Clearwater and
spent the next two years
in America.”
Shaun’s entry into scouting was
by chance.
“In the mid 1980s, I had no interest
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uwl.ac.uk/
bees
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* According to Employment Performance Indicators (EPI) figures published by HESA on 4 July 2013.
Graduates who have studied an undergraduate degree programme.

THE BIG INTERVIEW: SHAUN O’CONNOR
in football other than watching
Arsenal,” said Shaun.
“I got involved in the scouting side
of things due to Gary Karsa, who’s
now Head of Football Operations
for Paul Lambert at Aston Villa.
“His and my boy were both in the
Academy at Tottenham Hotspur,
and he got the job as Academy
Director at Barnet.
“He had no help at all with
recruitment, and asked me to
join.”
Shaun’s skill is to pick talent in a
young footballer.
“Even from day one I had a very
good eye for potential in a player,”
said Shaun.
“It’s something that’s come to
me, however some players can
be outstanding at nine or ten, but
when they go through puberty,
some of them don’t fulfil their
potential.”
Last month, Crawley Town
signalled their intention to close
their Academy due to funding
issues, and Barnet’s relegation to
the Conference was the trigger for
Shaun’s involvement with the club
he supports.
“I was at Barnet for around two
years,” said Shaun.
“Unfortunately they got relegated
from the Football League [in 2001],
and they closed the Academy
down.
“Everybody knew how busy Barnet
were in the local area, and Roy
Massey at Arsenal saw the type of
work we were doing, and he gave
me the chance to run their Potters
Bar Development Centre, which I
took up.
“I was in charge of the six, seven,
and eight year olds, which is a
major area of recruitment for
the bigger clubs, it’s massive for
them.”
Shaun’s last match covering
Barnet was a game against
Luton Town, where an unknown
footballer called Jack Wilshere for
the visitors caught the eye.
“My first recommendation for
Arsenal was him,” said Shaun.
“What he had was pace running
with the ball, his aggression –
putting this foot through the tackle
rather than leaving it there.
“Comparing him to my son, who
was a little bit older, this boy was
on another level.”
Arsenal paid compensation to
Luton and got their man, but
Shaun feels on occasions scouts
are frightened to act if they
spot a player.
“Sometimes people are
scared to make a decision or a
recommendation they are afraid
get it wrong,” said Shaun.
“But you have to trust your
judgement.
“You must have a gut instinct that
if you look at a player, he’s going to
be a talent or to get him through
the door to at least have a look at
him.
“All your looking for is potential
in a player, being bright, good
technique, a little trick to their
game, but it’s so difficult because
they change so much, and they’ve
got a long way to go.
“Intelligence is a major factor,
they’ve got to be able to solve
problems, and be able to play in
high intensity situations.”
Academy signings are speculative.
“It’s always a punt,” said Shaun.
“There are no guarantees; Messi
was doubted at 14 and certain
individuals at Arsenal didn’t think
Wilshere would be a player.”
Shaun undoubted ability to spot a
player ensured he moved up the
ranks at Arsenal.
“I grew into the job, and was very
active,” said Shaun.
“Because I ran a plastering
business for 20 years, my
management skills in setting up
projects, and handling people
came into play.
“From Herfordshire, I moved into
East London and Essex, where I
picked up Chuba Akpom, who was
recently on loan here, and Chris
Willock, who will be another top
talent.”
In 2009 Shaun left Arsenal’s
Academy.
“I couldn’t achieve what I wanted
to in the role,” said Shaun.
“I wasn’t allowed to create the
structure and network that the
Academy required and grew
frustrated in my role.
“I did the knowledge, got my
badge, and tried being a cabby for
ten months.
“During that time I had a number
of offers, but the Brentford job
came up with one at Tottenham.
I decided this was a better project,
a blank canvas, and do it how I
wanted.”
Shaun’s first thoughts were that
the talent base at the then Centre
of Excellence required raising.
“My first analysis of the players
was that it was at such a low
level,” said Shaun.
“There wasn’t a single scout at the
Club bringing players in, which
was the first thing we looked at.”
Enlisting an army of scouts is no
easy thing, but Shaun got to work
straight away.
“That was done first of all by
advertising for people that wanted
to get involved,” said Shaun.
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THE BIG INTERVIEW: SHAUN O’CONNOR
“Arsenal was a closed door, I
couldn’t employ people.
“Here I’ve got an open one - I can
employ who I want on the basis
that it stays within the recruitment
budget.
“We now have one of the biggest
recruitment networks in London -
if not in the country - and are
still growing.
“I give everybody an opportunity, if
they are good enough, but if they’re
not, I’ll tell them.
“Management skills with
managers and parents are major
factors to become a good scout,
because the first impression of
Brentford is them.
“If I feel they won’t give the Club
a good reputation then they won’t
work here.
“What we have here is a talent
ID course that we’ve developed
ourselves, and we put new scouts
through that first before they can
go out onto the parks.
“If gives them an idea of the levels,
and also some understanding of
how we profile individuals, and
what we’re looking for in a player.”
The recent opening of Brentford
Academy’s Indoor Training Centre
in partnership with Uxbridge High
School is seen as a landmark
achievement.
“It’s massive for the Club,” said
Shaun.
“Others are looking at us now
and thinking ‘what is going on at
Brentford?’
“Brentford were never seen as any
type of competition in London at
all, until now.
“It will bring players to the
Club, especially if we get to the
Championship, making it more of
an attraction to bring boys to us.
“Branding is another major factor,
I hear it all the time that they don’t
want to bring their son to a League
One Academy.
“We’re not a League One Academy
- we’re a Premier League one.
“I’m sure other staff members will
tell you that, and our EPPP [the
Elite Player Performance Plan]
audit shows it.
“Ose has set up an outstanding
programme here, you can’t
compare it with other clubs, and
it’s above others in London.
“I still think some Clubs are
dismissive even now, because
they can’t understand the change
at Brentford, we are definitely a
player in London now.
“The important thing is that the
staff at the Club keep working at it,
we have a good work ethic
In the team.”
Shaun’s phone is always active,
and there’s rarely a moment
where I see him off it, even getting
30 minutes for this interview
is a blessing.
“I’m drained every day because it’s
non stop,” said Shaun.
“When I do go on holiday, I still
take my phone with me because
that call could be a top player
going elsewhere if you don’t
answer it.”
Age is not a barrier to working in
Brenford’s Academy either.
“We’ve given lots of younger
people opportunities,” said Shaun
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“Some have left and gone on to
other clubs, as we can’t afford the
wages of some Premier League
Academies, but it’s a good learning
environment here.”
The new EPPP regulations have
changed the way professional
youth development is governed
in England, with that appears to
be a bias towards Category One
Academies that are in the main
Premier League Clubs.
“There are new guidelines in
regards to scouts been qualified
next year,” said Shaun.
“The biggest change so far is that
other clubs representatives are
allowed to come in and watch our
games, which is very frustrating,
but this is something we all must
get used to.
“It’s all for the benefit of big
Category One Academies.
“When visiting scouts and coaches
do come to our games, they have
to report to us before a game, are
then guided to a designated area,
and are escorted away afterwards,
away from the parents.
“Personally, I would stop the influx
of young foreign talent, we need to
get it right in this country so our
players are as good” said Shaun.
“Perhaps until 20, 21 to give
English kids an opportunity to play
men’s football and to give them a
chance to blood themselves into
First Team football.
“Young players at 17 or 18 are not
getting opportunities, and clubs
are bringing players from around
the world, who are ready made
and will get that opportunity ahead
of ours.”
The thing Shaun dreads is telling
parents their son isn’t
good enough.
“Even now, I find it difficult to tell
a player and his parent that he’s
not at the level that is required at
Brentford,” said Shaun.
“I’ve been in the same position
as a parent with my son, it’s the
hardest part of the job and I hate it.
“When a boy has been at the Club
four or five years, it’s their life, it’s
very difficult.”
“Shane O’Gorman covers South
East London and Kent, and Limahl
Erb in South West London.
“We also have a very good team
covering our pre-academy
recruitment: Joshua Dorlikar,
Robbie Spencer, Chris Scudder,
and Lee McCarthy.
“Without the efforts of these
main scouts this operation does
not work and I can’t thank them
enough for what they have done
for us over the last four years.”
Shaun sees Mark Warburton’s
appointment as manager being
positive for the Academy.
“Mark looks at the Academy
closely,” said Shaun.
“If a player is good enough, he’ll
give them an opportunity.
“Long term, that’s the way the
Club wants to go, we want two or
three coming through the system
and playing, and Mark’s a big
supporter of it.”
His short term hopes for the
Academy are simple.
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“We do our best to try and protect
the players, and I’m sure the
parents can see the development
programme is better than most.
“Parents are attracted to brand
names, so it’s the norm that they
think a Premier League academy
will be better than a League
One Academy, but they need to
look first before they make that
assumption.
“Unfortunately parents are not
educated in regards of long term
development, understanding that
their boy’s training between six
and 14 - it is so important.”
Given a magic wand to improve
young English players’ chances
of making the First Team at their
club, Shaun spoke of his desire to
limit non UK footballers
at Academies.
Shaun reiterated that
recommendations from Brentford
supporters are always followed up.
“Not every player would be looked
at,” said Shaun.
“But I can assure that if they look
like they have potential, we’ll send
a scout to watch them.”
His scouting network is now
vast, and paid tribute to the coordinators
that ensure talent is
watched on a daily basis.
“I’ve got Barry Chapman, who’s
our Surrey Scout Co-ordinator,
Justin Girdler, in Berkshire and
Buckinghamshire, Colin Brown
in West London, Mark Hayman in
Hertfordshire and North London,
plus Nick Mead covers East
London and Essex.
“In the next two years I’d want to
see one or two of our boys from
the Youth Team make their league
debut,” said Shaun.
“We’ve had boys play in the First
Team, but I’d like one that goes in
there and cements their place in
the team.”
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