shaun-o-connor-interview277-1645189

14
BEES REVIEW
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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