'I’m all right with a bit of scepticism around me' — Keith Andrews on his 'windy road' to big time

As he prepares to join an exclusive club of Irishmen who've managed in the Premier League the Dubliner says people should underestimate Brentford at their peril

READY TO ROLL: Brentford manager Keith Andrews (centre) after the pre-season friendly match at the Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford. Picture date: Friday August 8, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: John Walton/PA Wire

Keith Andrews is used to doing things the hard way. The new Brentford head coach was 15 when he left his native Dublin to join the Wolves academy when they snapped up five of Ireland’s most promising young players, including a certain Robbie Keane, in 1995. But despite becoming the club’s youngest captain in more than a century Andrews dropped down the divisions with MK Dons before earning a move back to the Premier League with Blackburn and becoming an established international.

There has been a similar trajectory to his coaching career. He started under Karl Robinson in Milton Keynes after retiring in 2015, then worked as Stephen Kenny’s assistant for the Republic of Ireland. Andrews also spent time at Sheffield United before arriving at Brentford last summer as the set-piece coach. Being asked to replace Thomas Frank in his first senior role at the age of 44 bucks the growing trend of younger managers, but the former midfielder has plenty of experience to call on as he opens a new chapter at Nottingham Forest on Sunday.