Brentford Manager Mark Warburton said he was pleased with his team’s season so far and promised his players would continue to be the best they could in every game.

The Bees sit sixth in the Sky Bet Championship after 17 games.

They have climbed the table after successive wins against Derby County at Griffin Park and then away to Nottingham Forest and Millwall.

The Bees are just four points from the top of the table and Mark, speaking to Bees Player earlier this week, said his side were building their self-belief.

He said his team would continue to challenge themselves every week and see where that took them.

“We are pleased with the season so far,” said Mark.

“We are in a good position after a very pleasing week.

“It has been a fantastic week, no-one in their right mind would suggest otherwise with three wins out of three.

“Forest and Millwall are tough places to go and play and get the points.

“That is really good.

“It is about self-belief.

“The only people we had to convince about how good this group are were the players themselves.

“Now they know they can go to places and win and have maintained a strong home record.

“The self-belief is good and the season so far is pleasing.

“But we have a number of games to go and want to challenge ourselves in every game to be the best we can, if we do, let’s see where we end up.”

Brentford’s players are in the middle of a four-day rest period while international fixtures are being played.

Mark said they worked hard on Tuesday and will report back on Sunday ahead of the next match, against Fulham next Friday.

Mark said it was nice to go in to the break on the back of a win.

“No-one likes to lose a game of football, it plays on your mind,” he said.

“If you have a game on the Tuesday or Wednesday to get over that, it is not so bad.

“Two weeks to contemplate can be tough.

“We have had three breaks so far and had three wins going in.

“Now we can come back on Sunday well rested and ready to go.”

Mark said with players returning from injury he may have an almost full-strength squad to pick from against Fulham.

Scott Hogan and Alan McCormack are long-term absentees but Marcos Tébar has returned to training and Nico Yennaris played 90 minutes for Brentford’s Development Squad against Swansea City on Monday.

Richard Lee is also close to return while Sam Saunders and Tommy Smith are back with the group.

“Marcos joined in training and is now very close,” said Mark.

“That is good news as he has had a frustrating quad injury.

“Sam is back in full training.

“Nico has played 90 minutes so he is getting there and Richard Lee is also working.

“Scott Hogan and Alan McCormack are longer term but are working.

“There is a long way between now and Fulham but we could play that game with only Scott and Alan unavailable.”

As well as Nico, James Tarkowski, Jack Bonham, Betinho and Montell Moore all played in Monday’s Development Squad match.

The Bees lost 4-1 to a strong side, including England international Jonjo Shelvey, but Mark had positive reports.

“James Tarkowski asked to play in the game, we would have spoken to him anyway but he was desperate to play and his attitude was outstanding,” said Mark.

“He was a role model, even as a young player himself.

“The Development Squad players could see a first-class attitude from a first-class player.

“To go to Swansea and display that sort of attitude in atrocious conditions speaks volumes for him and tells the young players what they have to aspire to.

“Nico got 90 minutes and scored a good goal, he looked fit and strong.

“Betinho and Montell Moore played as well.

“Swansea had a very strong side out and that was a test for us.”

Just before the players took their break Tony Craig signed a new contract to keep him at Griffin Park until the summer of 2017

“I am delighted that Tony has signed,” said Mark.

“He has worked really hard for that, he is committed on and off the pitch.

“He is the ultimate professional and is committed to what he does.

“It is great to have Tony here.

“It is great news for us as a club.

“Tony’s impact on and off the pitch is clear for all to see.”

Craig, Tarkowski and Harlee Dean are currently competing for two central defensive positions in Brentford’s team.

Craig and Tarkowski started the season but Dean came in when Craig was suspended and kept his place.

Craig forced his way back in but a suspension for Tarkowski means Dean and Craig now occupy the two starting positions.

“The centre half question is what it is,” said Mark.

“It is healthy.

“If there were four or five it would be a problem but Harlee, Tarky and Tony have all had time out of the team.

“They know what it is.

“They made mistakes to be out of the team and now have to fight their way back.

“Players have to earn their shirt.

“We have three top quality centre halves performing every week.”

Toumani Diagouraga has come in to the team and started the past three games.

Earlier in 2014 he was out on loan at Portsmouth but played a role at the end of last season as Brentford won promotion and is now establishing himself.

Mark said Diagouraga needed to add consistency to his game but looked as if he might be doing that and stepped up at Millwall when The Bees were without Jonathan Douglas in their midfield.

“Toumani has great feet for a tall guy, he is tidy in tight areas,” said Mark.

“He sees a pass and can control the pace and tempo of a game.

“Toumani’s challenge was to produce a better level of consistency.

“We have spoken to him; he knows what he has to do.

“He has played well in three big games – Derby, Forest and Millwall – and is reaching to achieve that aim.

“He is making it hard not to pick him.

“He is working hard and consistency has been good.

“He assumed the responsibility in a deeper position on Saturday when we didn’t have Dougie; he bossed the game for an hour.

“Hopefully he can maintain that.”

Mark said Brentford’s players were now focussed on Fulham.

“We are very aware of what it will mean to the fans,” he said.

“We are also aware that it is another three points to fight for, it is the same three points whoever you play.

“The focus is Fulham.

“We recognise the responsibility we have.

“We want to deliver a performance and secure the points we are after.”

After a busy run of games at the start of the season, Brentford now do not play two league games a week, apart from at Christmas, until February.

“Playing Saturday-Saturday allows us to do more work on the training pitch,” said Mark.

“It allows us to do unit specific work, which will help us.

“Players with knocks can recover without the focus being on a game a few days away.

“Players will have time.

“It is a different preparation but we will get used to it.”

Bees Player subscribers can see a full video interview with Mark Warburton here.