Brentford appoint Keith Andrews as new boss, replaces Thomas Frank

Brentford have appointed set-piece coach Keith Andrews as manager on a three-year contract to replace Thomas Frank, the Premier League club announced on Friday.

Frank, who left to take over at Tottenham Hotspur, stepped up from the assistant role at Brentford to take charge in 2018, and Andrews has been handed his first managerial role having served as the club’s set-piece coach for one season.

“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. Keith is clear in what he wants, he’s detailed, and the players and staff like and respect him.

“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.

“He’s a very good coach and has clear ideas about how he wants the team to improve. We were looking for somebody not just to maintain what we’ve been doing but actually try and get better.”

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 then 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.

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.