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Wood good enough to make the grade, says former boss
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| Wing and a prayer: Sam Wood in action against Hampton & Richmond this season. Deadlinepix Hakan Yazici HY2320 |
Brentford new boy Sam Wood can make the step up to League Two football, according to the man who knows him best - former boss Simon Osborn.
The 21-year-old wing-back quit Bromley last week to agree terms at Griffin Park after impressing boss Andy Scott in a trial match against Fulham last month.
Wood, who scored six goals for the Lillywhites in Blue Square South this season, joins fellow former non-league player Moses Ademola at the club as evidence of Scott's desire to add goalscoring options to his squad.
Osborn - a veteran of more than 400 professional matches for Crystal Palace, QPR, Reading and Wolves - believes pre-season training could be all that is needed to apply the finish to Wood's undoubted ability.
"I have played with and managed him during my two years at the club and it has always been clear he could play at a higher level," he said.
"There are bits and pieces he needs to work on, but just playing and training full-time should sort that out.
"He had trials at Gillingham, Charlton and Wolves earlier in the season, and a few clubs have been monitoring him.
"I get on with Andy and Bees assistant manager Terry Bullivant, and I think it will be a good move for him.
"He has done the hard part to get his chance.
"He is going to have to work even harder to make it happen, but he has the energy and enthusiasm to do that.
"His best position is at left wing-back.
"He gets forward and scores the odd spectacular goal, with a lovely left foot.
"He could easily get 10 or 15 a season from that position."
Osborn, who quit as player-manager of Bromley at the end of the season after the club was put up for sale, has no problem with Scott's vow to scour the lower leagues for fresh blood.
"There are a lot more players moving up from non-league football these days. There is certainly the talent out there," he said.
Wood arrives at the club in the wake of news Charlie Ide, Simon Brown and Craig Pead - named in the PFA League Two team for the second successive season last week - had been transfer-listed on Monday.
Scott was furious with his side's performance in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Stockport County and let his squad know what he thought of them in no uncertain terms.
"I didn't say anything to them because the majority playing won't be here next season. There is no point wasting breath on them," he said.
"I will be working hard to get the right players in because that lot are not good enough.
"It is going to be a busy summer. I always knew it would be.
"But it might be even busier now."
12:41pm Friday 9th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: MICHAEL WAREHAM, Milton, Ontario, Canada on 5:38pm Fri 9 May 08
I fully agree with Andy Scott, if you do not want to commit yourself full-time to the "Bees" and just want a pay package go get it somewhere else. He is the Boss and if he says that you are not what he is looking for in a player that's surely the end of it. Andy is going the rihgt way by bringing in youth, and building the team around the more experience players there. My advice such as it is, go for it Andy I know that you are doing the right thing for Brentford Football Club. Only wish that I could see it all happen. Good Luck for the future.[quote]quote[/quote]
I fully agree with Andy Scott, if you do not want to commit yourself full-time to the "Bees" and just want a pay package go get it somewhere else. He is the Boss and if he says that you are not what he is looking for in a player that's surely the end of it. Andy is going the rihgt way by bringing in youth, and building the team around the more experience players there. My advice such as it is, go for it Andy I know that you are doing the right thing for Brentford Football Club. Only wish that I could see it all happen. Good Luck for the future.
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