HARLEE HAS EYES FOR TOP FLIGHT
CAPTAIN Harlee Dean reckons blossoming Brentford can challenge for promotion next season – if they keep their squad together.
The 25-year-old was in majestic form in Tuesday’s impressive 2-0 win over play-off contenders Leeds, shackling the division’s top scorer Chris Wood.
And a stunning team performance by Dean Smith’s free-scoring Bees suggests they could perform better next season than their current midtable slot this time.
“Can we keep the squad together?” asked Dean. “I think that is always the key question for us. We’ve had a lot of good players here over the years, and if we’d kept them together where would we be?
“But, if we do keep them, we have a brilliant squad. We’ve got players all over the pitch that are more than capable of being right up there in this league.
“If we can keep the consistency, which has been our main downfall this season, we can go wherever we want to go.”
And Dean, who is under contract for next season, aims to go to the Premier League.
“That’s all I want: to play as high as possible and get there and do it for my family, “he told The FLP. “I’ve just had my son, Harlee, who’s six months, so that’s the future now. I’ve got to make it right for him.”
If Dean turns in more impressive displays like he did against Leeds, then he will surely make it.
He added: “This is probably the best season I’ve had and I feel I’m getting better and better. I’m only 25 so I’ve still got a bit of learning to do, but consistency-wise and performance-wise I’m pleased with how the season’s gone. I don’t think there’s anybody I can’t deal with in this league.
“Leeds have got the top scorer in the league and we dealt with him. Overall, we were the better team by quite a margin.”