New Brentford boss Keith Andrews on how his time as a pundit helped him to become a head coach | OneFootball

Keith Andrews has opened up on the risks he has taken in his career that have led to him becoming the new Brentford head coach.

Andrews has replaced Thomas Frank in charge of the Bees, who departed for Tottenham after seven years at the club earlier this summer.

It is the Irishman’s first management job, but he insists it is a task he is ready for, having long prepared for it in his roles as a player, pundit and coach.

Among Andrews’ previous jobs include him being a regular pundit on Sky Sports’ EFL coverage but he says every job he has taken has been part of his ultimate goal of becoming a manager.

“I’ve got hundreds of warm-ups on my phone from 10 years ago when I would go and watch games in that capacity,” he said, reflecting on his time as a pundit.

“I was sat at the back taking ideas from what managers said after a loss, how they came across, how they greeted people when they came in the room. So it was deliberate in a way.”

On whether it opened any doors into coaching for him, Andrews responded: “Yeah, possibly. People see me speaking in a certain way about the game. I watch people on TV and I think you can tell pretty soon if they know the game or if they don’t.

“It certainly opened up conversations and opportunities that some I have taken, some I haven’t. But yeah, I would say to a point, yeah.”

Andrews became a set-piece coach at Brentford under Frank last summer, a move, along with others, he says came with risks but one he felt he would benefit from.

“I think I left MK Dons as a first-team coach in the Championship nine years ago, and every single person that I valued their opinion within the game told me to stay because jobs in football are very difficult to find,” he said.

“But I knew it wasn’t right for one reason or another and I needed to go in a different direction.

“I have been very deliberate about the path that I’ve taken to get to this point, none more so than 12 months ago, coming into a role that probably wasn’t top of my agenda, if I’m being honest.

“But it was the club, the environment. So I think you’ve got to make big decisions in whatever walk of life you’re in. I’m pretty comfortable making big decisions.

“I’m under no illusions this is going to be a difficult job, but I feel like the foundations that I’ve put in place give me the best possible opportunity to succeed, and the people around me.”