Harlee Dean has stepped up this season with Dean Smith making the former Southampton defender captain at Brentford this term, which is proving beneficial for all concerned.
Smith has told Get West London how happy he is with the way Dean has taken to the captaincy with his performances raising too and he’s even got himself a goal.
The head coach wasn’t best pleased with his celebration though!
‘He has taken on the role of captain very well. He’s learning all the time and his performances have been impressive. He popped up with a goal (against Preston). I’m not sure about his celebration and I told him that – he tried a Klinsmann but nearly popped his knee ligaments out.’
Not only has the responsibility helped Dean to push on in the mind of Smith he also feels the competition he’s got from the likes of Andreas Bjelland and Yoann Barbet on him and John Egan.
‘I’ve always felt that he enjoys responsibility and the more you give him, the more you get from him and it’s been the case. He knows he’s got competition and whether you’re captain or not you’ve got to perform to keep the shirt. He and John Egan have performed really well to keep the shirts.’
Smith concluded that at 25-years-old, but with over 200-matches for Brentford already, he’s got a ‘bright future ahead of him’ and has gained the positive from the ‘bad times’ he’s had in his career learning plenty from them.
