The West London club gave Andrews a three-year contract. This is his first job as a manager. He had worked as Brentford’s set-piece coach for one season. Andrews said he felt “pretty humbled” and “honoured” to be chosen to lead the club into its “next chapter”.
Phil Giles, Brentford’s director of football, said Andrews is “a very good fit”. He added that Andrews “gets on with everyone”, is “very open” and “a learner”. Giles noted that Andrews “is clear in what he wants” and that players and staff “like and respect him”. He also said Andrews understands the players and how they have trained under Frank. Giles hopes Andrews can “make some quick progress” whilst bringing his “own evolution”.
Thomas Frank, who managed Brentford for seven years, led the club into the top flight for the first time in 74 years. He made them a strong team in the Premier League. Frank left to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, who recently won the Europa League. Frank took some staff with him to Tottenham, but Andrews stayed at Brentford. This hinted at his future role at the club.
Andrews, 44, made 35 appearances for Ireland during his playing career. He started coaching as assistant manager at MK Dons, where he finished playing in 2015. He then joined the Ireland Under-21 team as an assistant coach. When Stephen Kenny became manager of the senior Ireland team in 2020, Andrews went with him. They both stayed until Kenny’s contract ended three years later. Before joining Brentford as set-piece coach in July 2024, Andrews was part of Chris Wilder’s coaching staff at Sheffield United from December 2023.
Andrews faces a big challenge following Frank’s success. However, Frank also started his Brentford management role with limited experience. The club is looking for Andrews not just to keep things going, but to help the team get better. Andrews expressed his excitement about the “potential of the football club, the potential of the players and the potential of the staff”. He also stressed his love for “developing young players” and seeing their “growth”.
The club may face further changes this summer. Reports suggest that forward Bryan Mbeumo is “likely” to leave, with Manchester United linked to a deal worth around £63 million. Brentford captain Christian Norgaard is also expected to join Arsenal for around £10 million. Goalkeeper Mark Flekken has also left for Bayer Leverkusen.
