Brentford have officially named former Ireland international Keith Andrews as their new manager, the Premier League club announced on Friday. Andrews steps into the role vacated by Thomas Frank, who recently departed to take charge at Tottenham Hotspur, marking a continuation of the West London side’s established practice of promoting from within.
Frank himself ascended to the managerial position in 2018 after serving as assistant manager. Now, Andrews, who spent the past season as the Bees’ set-piece coach, has been handed his first senior managerial role. Media reports suggest Andrews has signed a three-year contract with the club.
Phil Giles, Brentford’s Director of Football, expressed confidence in the appointment. “Keith is a very good fit,” Giles stated. “He gets on with everyone, he’s very open and he’s a learner. He understands the players in the building and the way we’ve played and trained under Thomas Frank. Keith will bring his own evolution but isn’t starting from scratch, so hopefully we can make some quick progress.”
Andrews, who earned 35 caps for the Republic of Ireland during his playing career, began his coaching journey as assistant manager at MK Dons, where he retired from playing in 2015. He then joined the Ireland Under-21 set-up as assistant coach to Stephen Kenny. When Kenny took over the senior Ireland side in 2020, Andrews followed, remaining with the national team until Kenny’s contract concluded three years later. Following that, Andrews briefly joined Sheffield United’s coaching staff in December 2023 under Chris Wilder, before departing at the end of the season to take up his role at Brentford.
Giles had previously indicated the club’s long-standing interest in Andrews, noting at the time of his initial appointment to Brentford, “He is someone we have known for a while and always had in mind for a role at some point in the future.” The fact that Andrews remained at Brentford while Frank took assistant first-team coach Justin Cochrane, head of athletic performance Chris Haslam, and first-team analyst Joe Newton with him to Spurs, perhaps offered an early hint of his future at the club.
Succeeding Frank, who guided Brentford to the top flight for the first time in 74 years and established them as a competitive Premier League force, will undoubtedly be a significant challenge for the relatively inexperienced Andrews. However, his predecessor also took on the role with a less prominent profile, suggesting Brentford’s belief in their internal development pathway.
Andrews himself conveyed his gratitude and readiness for the task ahead. “I’m very appreciative of the owner, the board and the staff that have supported this decision,” he said. “It’s an opportunity I feel I’m very capable of doing and ready to do. I’m humbled to be the new head coach of an amazing football club that’s touched me in a lot of ways.”
