Kevin O'Connor has settled into his role as Brentford's development squad head coach but knows there's still plenty he can improve on.

The Bees legend made 501 appearances for the club during his time as a player before retiring at the end of last season.

He had been given a role helping Lee Carsley with the under-21s before the former Everton midfielder was needed for first-team duties.

O'Connor though remains grateful to the help Carsley gave him during their few months together.

He told GetWestLondon : “I never pursued other offers to play and the club offered me this role and I saw it as a good pathway.

“I had a good few months with Lee. We got on very well. He's a great guy and good to have around the place. I'm not surprised by the job he did with the first team.

In pictures: Kevin O'Connor's Brentford career

“I learnt a lot from Lee. He takes things in his stride whereas I get frustrated. I need to calm down a bit and take a deep breath before I say anything.

“At 21 level it's not right to be doing that on the sidelines. He's very good at that. He walks away and has a minute to himself.”

The morning of September 28 was hectic as Carsley and O'Connor were preparing for a game at Sheffield Wednesday.

Carsley, though, was told to take charge of the first-team, while O'Connor asked to look after the development squad.

He explained: “I didn't have much time to think about it. I was delighted for Lee and I didn't think of myself so we fell into it and you just get on with it.

Departing boss: Lee Carsley

“We've got a great team with Chris Haslam, Nick Stubbings and Luke Lazenby and the four of us are trying to run it as best we can.

“Lee handed the reins over to me. He gave me some ideas. We still communicate a lot.”

O'Connor knows he was never the most talented player but always put in 100 per cent every time he stepped out on the pitch and admitted he found not being out there difficult at times.

He said: “It's very different. It's like you're kicking and heading it but it's out of your control.

“You can encourage on the sidelines but it's out of your hands. You can prepare all week but once they go over the line that can be frustrating when it doesn't go well.

“Defensively, we need to stop conceding goals and not rely on late comebacks. We need to go ahead in games rather than concede and then start playing.

“They've done well of late. They are good characters and showed that over the weeks. They showed a lot of character against QPR.”

Angry man: Kevin O'Connor protests

One thing the self-critical O'Connor knows he needs to do to improve is to manage his emotions.

He admitted: “It can be hard to keep control. It can be frustrating. I have to understand it's an under-21 game and be a bit nicer to the referees.

“They're doing their best and only make honest mistakes. A lot of referees were good in my playing days but being a manager you shouldn't do that as it doesn't look good.”

The role of the development squad is in the name; to develop young players through to the first team.

While first-team affairs are normally judged on results it is not the case for under-21 games; it is about individual performances.

The ever-competitive O'Connor is still desperate to win every game but would rather see a player leave his squad to gain experience in senior football on loan, as he has done with Josh Clarke, James Ferry and Jermaine Udumaga, than stifle their progress for the sake of a few more wins as seeing a player progress to the first team is the real victory.

He said: “It's difficult to get the balance. At under-21 level, it's not about the results, it's about the individual performances.

“If a team from League Two, Conference come in for our players, I'd be inclined to let them go regardless of how it makes the team.

On loan at Barnet: Josh Clarke

“It gives an under-18 a chance to make the step up. I'm only coming round to look at it like that as that's what you've got to do.

“We still want to win every game but the players' development is as important as the team. If someone comes in and they're a good team and play the way we want to play and can help the player develop.”

He added: “It's a Championship level so it's a really high standard. Our boys need to be exceptional to get through.

“Hopefully one or two of them can flourish and produce that. We're hoping it's more but you never know sometimes.

“There are one or two players I've got high hopes for. They have to perform at this level consistently to make the step up. They need to learn to be consistently seven out of 10 to progress.

“Loan moves are an option for them. They can benefit from that. We'll look to do that. They're looking to do that. The more exposure as they can get will be good in the future.”

O'Connor is working on his A licence and hopes to have completed it by the end of 2016. He has been working closely with Wycombe's Matt Bloomfield and the pair have been together on the training pitch coaching.

He said: “I'm still working on my A licence which will take about another year to complete. Once that's done there's the pro licence.

Pal: Matt Bloomfield

“There are youth modules I can keep myself busy with. The A licence is about an 18-month course.

“You have two blocks of eight-day crash courses in the summer. I've been on one and coming up to one this summer. It'll take me a good while to finish it.

“I've got a big logbook to fill in where you log your hours and coaching. It goes into the psychological side of things.

“The B licence was a snippet of the A licence. You had a smaller booklet. This is a big booklet. It's hard to explain.”

Having played 501 games, O'Connor misses the actual games but doesn't miss the preparation for it.

He said: “I miss it on a matchday. I never used to enjoy the build-up to a game but I miss the actual game. I do miss it but I enjoy what I'm doing.”