BRENTFORD'S new manager Wally Downes, preferred for the job to Arsenal star Tony Adams, reckons his has a mammoth task but the spirit he showed as a member of the Wimbledon Crazy Gang will help bring success (writes TONY FLOOD).

Gary Hargraves, the Brentford managing director, revealed yesterday: "Tony Adams' agent contacted Ron Noades about the job when Steve Coppell resigned, but appointing him would not have been the right thing for the club at this time. For a start we couldn't afford him.

"Our preference was our assistant manager Wally Downes. We made him a written offer following Monday's board meeting and are waiting for his acceptance. He knows the set up and the players well and has shown his ability to do the job."

Downes told me: "I am confident of being successful, but it is a tremendous task. Let's face it we have lost players who scored a total of 60 goals for us last season in Lloyd Owusu, Ben Burgess, Paul Evans and Ivar Ingimarsson."

Owusu, who scored 20 in the league and two in the cup, Bugress (17 plus one), Evans (14 in the league) and Ingimarsson (6) will have to be replaced by loan signings and youngsters from the reserves.

Evans' place could be taken by name-sake Steve Evans, a defender signed on a free transfer from Crystal Palace, while reserves Kevin O'Connor, Jay Tabb and Jay Smith are likely to be promoted by Downes.

Brentford have already signed four of their under 19 squad on full-time professional contracts - forwards Stephen Hughes, Lloyd Blackman and Rob Trayner and midfielder Danny Allen-Page.

They are also hoping that experience first teamers Martin Rowlands, Darren Powell and Ijah Anderson will stay.

Downes, a coach at Crystal Palace, Millwall and Lincoln, commented: "We still have some good players at the club and if the likes of O'Connor, Tabb and Smith fulfil their potential we can challenge for a play-off place.

"Even so, this a baptism of fire for me, especially when you consider that Steve Coppell left because of the situation concerning lack of money to keep our best players."

But Downes, who made 243 appearances as a mid-fielder for Wimbledon as they climbed to soccer's top flight, added: "The old Crazy Gang spirit coupled with sensible management can work wonders." And the Crazy Gang joker stressed: "I've mellowed a lot since those days."

June 27, 2002 17:00