Now into his second season in West London, Val Adedokun is thriving with Brentford B having been part of the side who have had a positive start to the 2022/23 campaign. The youngster has been a regular feature in recent weeks as the young group have pulled off a string of impressive performances and results.

The Irish youngster arrived from Dundalk in the summer of 2021 and had a steady start to life under Neil MacFarlane and his coaching staff. Last season he clocked up 30 appearances in red and white and now wants to build on his game further during an important campaign.

“I think I’m in a really good place in my development,” explained Val who takes a seat at Jersey Road a couple of days prior to the B Team’s second match in the Premier League Cup away at Aston Villa. “I’m getting more comfortable playing as a left back and left wing back, I have more of an understanding of the responsibilities of the position. I think I’ve kicked on another level and it’s looking positive at the minute.”

Val’s pre-season didn’t quite go to plan for the 19-year-old having had to recover from Covid-19 before he picked up an injury in the match with Swansea City during the side’s stay in South Wales as they readied themselves for the campaign ahead. It was a frustrating time for him as he wanted to hit the ground running during his second year with the team.

He continued: “At the start of the season I had Covid and then I dislocated my shoulder so to get a good run of games now when we’re winning and playing well is good. In the off season I worked hard and was really looking forward to starting the new campaign. I then had the setbacks, so the next thought was about getting fit and playing again. It can be easy to have your mind away from football and lose focus when you have a setback but it’s important to maintain that focus so when you get back you can perform.

The youngster joined from Dundalk in 2021

“It’s a very big season for me. I have a lot more responsibility as a player who has been here for over a year. The older guys took me under their wings and now they’ve moved on and we have some younger players this year. It’s a big year, playing into my last season of my contract next year I know I have to perform this year to get to where I want to get to.”

Having had a year to bed in, Val is familiar with life at Brentford. An influx of young players to the group this season has meant that he has had to lead by example and ensure that the way things work at Jersey Road is taken on board by the new players, some of whom arrived at the age of 16. Val feels he is not only developing his game on the pitch but also his leadership abilities.

He explained: “It took a bit of getting used to because I’m not the most vocal person on the pitch, but that responsibility is something that I’ve taken on and the coaches have helped me with that. There are different types of leaders, some are vocal and some show it through their actions. If you can have a mix of both then that’s good so that’s what I’m trying to focus on at the minute. If I can help other players to be better on the pitch then it’s going to help all of us.”

Val’s first campaign saw him often trade places with former B Team player Lewis Gordon, who has now gone on to establish himself as a key player for Bristol Rovers this season after departing the Club in the summer. He admits he learned a lot from Lewis during their time playing together, and his game has come on a great deal since he arrived from Ireland as a player who had made a handful of appearances for Dundalk.

“I’ve improved in my aggression in defending. Last year I was a bit tentative to get out to the opposition players but this year I’ve become more aggressive at winning the ball back when pressing,” said the 19-year-old. “I’ve been trying to sharpen my crossing to make it one of the key aspects of my game. I’m trying to improve on goal contributions because I know I’m an attacking left back, but there’s no point in being that if you’re not getting involvements in goals. I want more of those and I’m working hard to get there.

“Lewis was a player that I really enjoyed working with last year. He taught me a lot, he’s a very good player, and I’ve picked up things that I’m bringing into my game. He’s a very composed player on the ball, it seemed as if he was not under any pressure. Whenever we were up against it he was always composed which is something I want to bring into my game. It’s about keeping a level head, understanding what the situation is, and then try to figure things out from there. He never had a bad game, even if the team did, he would be a standout performer. He always gave you a minimum of a seven out of 10. If the team isn’t playing well then you need someone who can bring out a spark or something to push the team on.”

Talking of inspiration, Val very much has that role model inside the building at Jersey Road on a daily basis in the form of Rico Henry. The young defender can’t help but watch on and be impressed by the performances of the 25-year-old week in, week out, in the Premier League for Thomas Frank’s side.

“Rico is unbelievable to watch,” smiled Val. “It seems like he never runs out of energy, he’s always on the attack and even when we concede possession he is always sprinting back. It’s the 100 per cent effort that I want to take from his game and bring it into mine. It’s about always being on the move and looking to get in behind in an attacking aspect, and when you lose you always sprint back.”

Rico Henry is an inspiration for Val

Val has had the chance to play alongside Rico and the rest of the First Team in training at Jersey Road. For any youngster stepping into that environment it can be daunting as you look to impress and prove you’re ability, and that’s something that Val has been able to get better and better at with the more exposure he’s had to the group.

“It can be a bit nerve-racking sometimes. It’s then about taking what I can from Lewis in being comfortable in whatever position I find myself in. You have to show that you’re here for a reason and you belong here. It’s about staying calm and not letting it get too big for you. The First Team players are brilliant with us, especially Yoane Wissa who speaks to me a lot, he’s very positive. If I make a mistake then he’s always telling me to keep my head up and keep playing. They’re all very positive and they’re good to be around.”

There is so much that goes into breaking into a first team squad at all clubs at the elite level, and perhaps one of the biggest factors is consistency. Can a manager, in what is the cutthroat world of the professional game, throw a young player in and rely upon them? Well, for Val, that is where the word consistency plays a key role.

He explained: “The seven or eight out of 10 performances every week are what’s going to give you a career. You want to be seen as a player who can be relied upon, who can be trusted. If you’re giving a 10 out of 10 one week and then a three out of 10 the next then the manager can’t trust you because he doesn’t know what he’s going to get. In the bigger games he may need you, but he may not know if you’re going to show up. The aim is to get those seven, eight, nines or 10s every week.

So, how does Val think things have gone for the B Team so far this season? They’ve had the Premier League Cup to contend with as well as fixtures locally and further north.

He continued: “I’ve enjoyed the games this season. The Premier League Cup brings another level out of us in terms of the competition. The tours are always something to look forward to as well. You always want to go as far as you can in the competitions, and you can only do that by playing each game as it comes. The aim is to play as well as we can and we’ll see where we get to. It’s not about the end goal, it’s about each week, game by game, and we’ll see where we end up. We’re playing against players of a similar level in the Premier League Cup, who may be pushing towards their first teams at their clubs like we are. They will have the same mindset that we will as they will want to show why they should be in their first team.

“You can take confidence from our wins but that can all flip in one loss. It’s not something that we are looking at. You take each game as it is, you may be on a good run of form but the reason you are is because you’ve worked hard in training and playing well. Once our squad became settled I’ve seen an increased intensity in our training. I’ve seen a lot of new players pushing on and understanding the culture that we all expect. They’re understanding that once we do work for each other then it makes the game so much easier for everyone else. When people see that what we’re doing on the training pitch is paying off then they only add to make them do even more.”

Val in action for the young Bees at Jersey Road

For a young 19-year-old who has just moved across from Ireland to London, you could be forgiven for thinking that Val and his teammates are regularly soaking up what the English capital has to offer, but when you speak to Val it’s clear that being out and about in London is the last thing on his mind. The quiet and engaging youngster is more than happy to keep up his hard work at the training ground and enjoy downtime when he gets the opportunity.

Explaining life outside of Jersey Road, he said: “For me, it’s quiet. I don’t really do too much outside of the training ground. I’ve tried to explore London a bit but I’m not exactly the type of guy who will go into London without a reason. I’m trying to get my drivers license which will help!

“It’s a lot busier than back home, there’s lots going on. For some people it can be a distraction but I’m happy to be myself. I’ve never been the type of person to go out and do things for the sake of it. I like staying at home, I’m living with Angel (Waruih) and we get on well so I’m enjoying it. Last year I was by myself but this year it’s nice to live with someone who is similar to me and we like the same things. He’s a nice guy, not the best cook as he’s quite basic with his cooking so I’d have to say I’m better!

“I try to get back to Ireland when I can. My parents like to come over and visit too which is nice. I don’t get to see them a lot and I can’t wait to see them around Christmas. I was hoping that coming to this country, this Club, it would help me to raise my levels and better my understanding of the game. Coming into my second year I think I’ve done that, I’m still working, and it’s been really good.”

Having gained some consistent game time in recent weeks, Val will be aiming to keep himself as fit as possible and continue to build those numbers. By maintaining those Brentford values and working hard, it seems the left side of that B Team group is set to get stronger and stronger as the season continues.