Jani Viander marks 12 years at Brentford and shares his dream for an academy goalkeeper to become no.1

“Chris Mepham and Marcus Forss are players that have helped highlight that, especially as they came through the B team,” he explained.

"You then look at this current generation with Yehor Yarmoliuk, Tristan Crama and Benjamin Arthur, it shows how unique our programme is. When we were doing different things, people questioned it.

“But players who join know they are coming into a different environment. There is obviously the league format, but then you get to face men’s teams abroad as well.”

That variety of competition has helped prepare players for the next stage of their careers, both at Brentford and beyond.

“A number of players have come through the B team” said Viander. “They definitely benefited from playing reserve fixtures and against League One and League Two teams, and you can see it especially when you look at the players that have left and how well they are doing even after their time at Brentford.”

While the B-team system continues to develop players across the pitch, Viander’s focus has always been on the goalkeeping department, a role he says never stands still.

'My dream is for us to have a goalkeeper from the academy who is the number one for the first team one day'

“Goalkeeping has been a massive part of my career during this time,” he said. “Every season feels like starting a new job and always being on the move is something I enjoy.

“A big thank you goes to the first team and to Manu Sotelo. We have managed to get around five keepers over to the first-team side since I have been here.”

Viander's long-term ambition is clear: to see a goalkeeper developed entirely through Brentford’s system eventually become the club’s no.1.

“My dream is for us to have a goalkeeper from the academy who is the number one for the first team one day,” he said.

"We have had so many amazing goalkeepers in the first-team, from David Raya to Mark Flekken and now we have Caoimhín Kelleher. It would be great to see an academy goalkeeper fill that spot one day."

The position itself has changed dramatically since Viander began playing professionally, forcing both goalkeepers and coaches to adapt.

“My biggest strength when I was a keeper was my shot-stopping,” he said. “But with so much change around the position, you have to make sure keepers are well-rounded.

“You have to learn from your playing career. Coaching now helps me reflect on what I would do differently and how I coach.

“If your mind is open, then you can adapt and change without being rigid.”

Those changes stretch back decades. Viander recalls how the introduction of the backpass rule during his early playing days transformed the expectations placed on goalkeepers.

“The backpass rule changed in 1992,” he explained. “I was 16 and playing first-team football in the third-highest league in Finland and it was a massive rule change for someone like me just starting out my career. Everything starts in youth football.”

Because of that, Viander encourages young keepers to understand the game from every angle.

“Even if they want to be a goalkeeper, they need to understand the game,” he said. “In the early years I always say you have to play as an outfield player.

“Goalkeepers have to be good ball players and have good mobility because that is what is required of them now.”

As coaching methods have developed, so too has the level of detail involved in training.

“When I started to coach 15 years ago it was not such a big thing in terms of how much detail you had to go into,” Viander said.

“But as the years progressed, you could see the change in the role of the goalkeeper.”

Creating the right environment for young keepers to learn remains one of his biggest priorities.

“I cannot stress enough how much, at a young age, they need to be allowed to make mistakes,” he explained. "If they can’t make mistakes, it is not a healthy environment.”

The mental side of the position, he says, is just as important as the technical elements.

“To be a top keeper you need to be coordinated and able to move,” he said. “Goalkeeper training is heavily repetitive so technical abilities will develop, but the key thing in development is your mentality, how you recover from mistakes, how you stay calm and composed to make decisions, how you remain focused for large lull periods.

“As a goalkeeper you might only get one shot in 90 minutes, but you have to prepare for 30 shots.”

Throughout his time at Brentford, Viander has worked alongside a number of influential figures who have helped shape the environment around the B team.

“I worked with Kevin O’Connor, Neil MacFarlane and also Sam Saunders,” he said.

“As a goalkeeper coach your role is to support the head coach and understand what he wants, then give your opinion when required.

“It has been great to work with top individuals. They are all different, but you can see how much growth there has been across the board.”

Ultimately, while the pathway has produced several success stories, Viander emphasises that development is about more than simply reaching the very top.

“This is not to say for those who didn’t quite get the moves they wanted that we forget about them.

“We are very aware that not everyone will get to the level they want, but we make sure we support them as much as possible.

“You always need to be able to move on and dust yourself off. Football has different stages, and it is so important players have strong support systems at clubs because it is needed.”

After more than a decade at Brentford, Viander’s motivation remains as strong as ever. As the club continues to grow and evolve, his focus is firmly on ensuring the next generation of Brentford goalkeepers are prepared for the constantly evolving game.

You can catch Viander and the under-21s at Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday 19 April as they take on Swansea City.

A draw or win would confirm them as Professional Development League winners for the 2025/26 season.