Brentford have named former Ireland international Keith Andrews as manager to replace Thomas Frank, the Premier League club said on Friday, continuing the West London side’s trend of promoting from within.
Frank, who left to take over at Tottenham Hotspur, stepped up from the assistant role at Brentford to take charge in 2018, and now Andrews has been handed his first managerial role having served as the club’s set-piece coach for one season.
According to media reports, Andrews has signed a three-year contract.
“Keith is a very good fit,” director of football Phil Giles said.
“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 made 35 appearances for Ireland, began his coaching career as assistant manager at MK Dons where he finished playing in 2015 before joining the Ireland Under-21 set-up as assistant coach to Stephen Kenny.
Kenny became manager of Ireland’s senior side in 2020, taking Andrews with him, where they both remained until Kenny’s contract ended three years later, but Andrews found himself newly employed in a matter of weeks.
Andrews joined Sheffield United’s coaching staff when Chris Wilder took over in December 2023, with the Irishman leaving at the end of the season to take up his role at Brentford.
“He is someone we have known for a while and always had in mind for a role at some point in the future,” Giles said at the time of the appointment.
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, Andrews remained at Brentford, a clue perhaps to his future at the club.
Frank, who took Brentford into the top flight for the first time in 74 years and made them a competitive force in the Premier League, will be a hard act to follow for the inexperienced Andrews, but his predecessor also went into the job relatively unknown.
“I’m very appreciative of the owner, the board and the staff that have supported this decision,” Andrews 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.”
