Brentford appoint Keith Andrews – a masterstroke or gamble too far?

Telegraph

8 hours ago

Brentford's rise to the Premier League has been fuelled by their ability to adapt repeatedly to the departure of key individuals. Over the past decade they have lost important players and coaches to other clubs, only to then become even better without them.
This resilience, underpinned by cultural stability and shrewd decision-making, is arguably Brentford's most impressive quality. Few other clubs in recent years, if any, have been as consistently good at not only surviving change, but thriving in spite of it.
But Brentford's resilience now faces its toughest test. Thomas Frank, the head coach, has left for Tottenham Hotspur. Bryan Mbeumo, their best player, is seemingly heading for Manchester United. Christian Norgaard, their captain, is close to joining Arsenal.
Truly, this is the summer in which the big beasts of the Premier League have decided to feast upon Brentford's top talents. It has been a brutal and emotionally draining time in west London, even if the club's executives were braced for a summer of change.
There is no time to feel sorry for themselves. The post-Frank era begins now and Brentford have moved swiftly to finalise the appointment of his replacement, Keith Andrews. It is a first managerial role for the former Republic of Ireland midfielder, who was part of Frank's coaching staff last season.
The good news for Brentford supporters is that the same people who rebuilt this club's structure, appointed Frank and signed the players who have taken them to mid-table in the Premier League are still in place. Director of football Phil Giles has been at the club for more than a decade, and is as influential as ever.
There can be no doubt, though, that this is another significant gamble by a club who have beaten the odds time and again (fittingly, given they are owned by Smartodds founder Matthew Benham). Brentford have long been ahead of the curve – they were the first English club to appoint a specialist set-piece coach, for example – and in hiring Andrews they have taken yet another bold decision.
Will it prove to be the latest masterstroke by a club who have been among the cleverest in English football over the past decade? Or could Andrews, 44, represent a gamble too far?
For now, we can only wait and see. But there is no doubt within the club that Andrews is ready to make the step up to the role of head coach after an impressive first season. Andrews was officially appointed as Brentford's set-piece coach but his responsibilities went far wider than simply directing the corners and free-kicks.
Indeed, Telegraph Sport understands that Andrews was offered the set-piece role last season not because of his expertise in that specialist area, but because the club believed he would be an excellent addition to the coaching staff as a whole. Some set-piece coaches focus only on the parts of the game that fall within their remit, but that was never going to be the case for Andrews.
'When we appoint coaches, we always have an idea about whether they could potentially step up,' said Giles.
Andrews certainly knows the game, having played for 12 different clubs in the English system. He was always a leader, too. In his early days at Wolves, he became the club's youngest captain in more than 100 years.
'He was really passionate,' says Paul Jewell, who managed Andrews at Ipswich Town. 'He always had his opinions. We would sit and talk in the canteen for quite a while, and with him you would never win a talking competition. He is a bright lad and he will have learnt from all his coaches and managers.
'He was opinionated and that was no problem. He won't lack confidence, that's for sure. You have to make the players believe they can follow you, that you are right. I don't think he will have any problems doing that.'
It is an indication of the new Brentford head coach's character that Jewell adds, jokingly: 'I hope he's as good a manager as he thought he was, when he was a player.'
Andrews was hired to work under Frank last year but he was appointed by the club, rather than directly by Frank himself. When Brentford began the recruitment process to replace Frank this summer, Andrews was armed with intricate knowledge of the squad and the club's way of operating. He has been in the meetings, he knows the players and he understands the scale of the challenge now facing them.
'It's a massive advantage to know the players inside out,' said Andrews upon confirmation of his appointment. 'I've got a really good connection with the players. The ceiling is massive in terms of what we can achieve.'
On a more basic level, Andrews also did a superb job on set-pieces last season. Brentford were statistically the Premier League's best team in this crucial area of the game, with a goal difference of 11 (14 set-piece goals scored, and only three conceded).
Andrews retired from playing a decade ago and he has taken time to reach this first managerial position. His previous coaching roles were at MK Dons, the Republic of Ireland and Sheffield United.
Brentford believe he can fill the post-Frank personality void as well as handle the tactical issues that will determine results on the pitch. Frank was a master of telling Brentford's story, of being the charismatic face of the brand, and those who know Andrews expect he will be similarly engaging and persuasive with the media and supporters.
It will help his cause if Brentford can complete a deal for Antoni Milambo, the highly rated Feyenoord midfielder who is expected to cost in the region of £20 million. The club are optimistic that this transfer could go through.
Milambo will not replace the goals of Mbeumo, of course, just as Andrews cannot directly replace Frank. But if any club can handle such dramatic turbulence and stay on their desired path, it is Brentford. They have done it all before – losing the likes of Dean Smith, Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma, Ezri Konsa, David Raya and Ivan Toney – and now they must do it again.