O'NEILL'S HISTORY, KEITH IS THE FUTURE

MARTIN O'Neill might not think so, but everyone I talk to seems to have only good things to say about Keith Andrews.

- patdolan

It's early days — just eight league games into his managerial career — but Brentford sit 13th in the table with three wins and, crucially, are five points clear of the relegation zone.

A decent start for a rookie boss, though there's a long winter ahead if he’s to prove the critics wrong about how he got the job in the first place.

The bookies had him favourite to be sacked first. He wasn't. He's done it his way. And it shouldn't be forgotten that Andrews has been coaching at club and international level for a decade. He's no novice.

He also walked into a job where the previous manager, Thomas Frank, was a Brentford god.

Frank left largely because Brentford operate on one of the lowest budgets among established Premier League clubs — and that's never ideal.

Half his team had gone: goalkeeper Mark Flekken, midfielder Christian Nørgaard, and the attacking duo of Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo.

Many fans would argue they were the team’s four best players last season.

But Andrews' previous role as set-piece coach gave him a voice in recruitment, identifying players who could improve the team and contribute to set-plays.

That knowledge proved crucial.

When he joined in July 2024, he accepted his modest job title with humility and used it as motivation.

Embracing the brief, he delivered results that won the respect of everyone at the club.

Brentford improved markedly from free kicks and corners at both ends of the pitch, and Andrews soon expanded his remit to include tactical planning.