Learning from experience

Elite Soccer speaks to German manager Uwe Rösler, who has arrived in npower League One with promotion chasers Brentford.

It’s now your second season in charge at Brentford. How have you enjoyed your time with the club so far?

It has been brilliant. I was very fortunate to find a club like Brentford, working with top class people including my backroom staff, coaching staff, Sporting Director and the board; all with whom I enjoy an excellent working relationship.

Importantly they have put their trust in me, as they effectively let me get along with all football matters with Mark Warburton (Sporting Director). We made progress during my first season in charge and I believe we also made progress over the summer in the transfer market and there is no reason why this development cannot continue.

Having managed Lillestrom, Viking and Molde, how does the role of manager in Norway compare to English football?

Interestingly they are similar because at Brentford we have, if you like, the ‘European model’ where the manager/head coach works alongside the Sporting Director. There are slight differences in who you report to, but in general, having previously worked with a Sporting Director in Norway, when this was introduced to me with Brentford, I already knew I could work in such a system. I think from a manager’s point of view it is just vital that responsibilities are clear and that certain things are in place.

Concentrating on Brentford, what are the short- and long-term ambitions for the club?

One of the major targets I was given by the owner was to change the style of play and I think we achieved that last year. In the same way we improved results and aimed to move up the table. Credit to the players, this is what we did by finishing in the club’s highest league position for seven years without any increase in budget. Another key objective for the club is to build a squad of young and hungry players with the potential to increase their development which, ultimately, will increase their value to Brentford.

How competitive is this campaign in npower League One?

It is a massively competitive division. I think there are realistically between 10 and 12 clubs in the division who are all fighting to get into the play-offs and we are one of them.

Looking back at your playing career, how do you reflect on your time in English football?

I fell in love with the English game and I fulfilled a personal dream to play in the Premier League. My four-and-a-half years at Manchester City were probably the best in my career for football reasons, but also for family reasons as I met my wife during that time and my first son was born in Manchester. So after managing three clubs in Norway I felt the time was right to make the next step and for me it was to manage in the Football League.

What connections do you still have with Manchester City?

It was Manchester City who helped me to settle back in England and my son also plays for their academy. They brought me in to help out the strikers with Scott Sellers and I worked there for five months. I was specifically working with the Under-16 to Under-19 age groups and that I learned so much, particularly how a top academy is structured in the UK.

What are your own future career ambitions within the game?

I think after my experiences so far in management there are no real long -term plans for me. My plan and focus is purely on this season with Brentford Football Club. There are so many positives not just at the first-team level here but also at our academy, so I feel we are a club who are on the up by making progress, and I want to be a part of that.