Brentford have appointed their set-piece coach Keith Andrews as their new manager to replace Thomas Frank.
Andrews, 44, joined the club last summer after working with the Republic of Ireland set up and at Sheffield United.
He had a successful club career with Wolves, Blackburn and MK Dons and won 32 caps for his country.
Frank left the Bees earlier this summer after seven years in charge.
Speaking for the first time as the new boss, Andrews said: “The ceiling is massive in terms of what we can achieve.
“I don’t know where to start in terms of what’s exciting me because there’s so much: the potential of the football club, the potential of the players and the potential of the staff that underpin what has brought success to this brilliant football club.”
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Keith Andrews as our new head coach 🤝
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) June 27, 2025
Andrews’ rise within the club mirrors Brentford’s history of promoting from within. Frank was also elevated from assistant to head coach back in 2018 when Dean Smith left for Aston Villa, a model that brought the club to the Premier League and maintained their competitive edge.
Although external candidates such as Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna and Francesco Farioli were considered, Brentford’s decision to stay in-house echoes their preference for continuity.
Club owner Matthew Benham’s choice might be viewed by some as a risk, but it aligns with the strategy that has brought sustained success to the West London club.
Andrews takes over at a time of significant change at the Gtech Community Stadium. Republic of Ireland international Caoimhin Kelleher has joined from Liverpool as a replacement for Mark Flekken, who recently transferred to Bayer Leverkusen.
Meanwhile, Christian Norgaard is expected to move to Arsenal, and Manchester United have reportedly upped their offer to £60 million for Brentford’s top scorer last season, Bryan Mbeumo.
Despite the shifting landscape, Andrews is clear on the identity he wants the team to embody.
“We want to play winning football, we want to be competitive, we want to have an edge, we want to play dynamic, relentless football but we want to be organised,” he explained.
“We want to have huge moments, huge games, and I think the big one is that we want to have an attitude and a relentlessness of progression. We really need to maintain that, and that’s on a daily basis.
“There will be a clear plan to try and develop our talented young players and also our older players, because development doesn’t just stop when you get to a certain age,.”
