🔗 Share this article

Brentford present a compelling example of what happens when a efficiently managed club parts ways with its long-serving manager and star players. Will the systems that drove the club so far withstand such change? Is it possible for their renowned analytics-based recruitment model find workable replacements? Appointing a head coach with no frontline experience, the new boss, further stress-tests the resilience of the framework.

Mixed Indications but Positive Trends

Early indicators thus far are varied but positive overall. While highly regarded as the former manager is in Brentford history, his departure to join another club showed that development was never linear or a consistently rising trajectory. The team with a stated wage bill of £50m a year, among the lowest in the top flight, has significant challenges to overcome. That last season’s 10th place came accompanied by disappointment in failing to secure European football suggests how far expectations had climbed.

Testing Times and Statement Victories

This weekend, Manchester City face a side kicking off in the relative safety of thirteenth position, despite fluctuations from losing three-one at Fulham a two weeks ago to a well-earned 3-1 home victory over Manchester United recently. Bearing in mind that many find United a vulnerable opponent, and one of Frank’s last games was a four-three win against the Portuguese manager's squad, defeating them still held significance for Andrews. No club have defeated United and City in back-to-back fixtures since Spurs in the mid-nineties.

Known Face in a Fresh Role

Andrews was well-acquainted to Brentford. In the previous campaign, he patrolled the dugout as the manager's set-piece specialist. The Tractor Boys' Kieran McKenna, the Norwegian side's Kjetil Knutsen and the Sheffield Wednesday boss were considered. The likeliest in-house option was number two the former coach, but he joined Frank to Tottenham.

Shifts Both On and Off the Pitch

The off-season was a period of change on and off the field. Matthew Benham, with an data-focused strategy follows his achievements in the gambling sphere, divested a minority share to former a company chief executive and Labour party supporter Gary Lubner and the director a Hollywood figure, with his wife, Claudia Schiffer, has been drawing media attention to the directors’ box.

Stability and Guidance

The stability at the club is provided by the chief executive, and Phil Giles. Giles, who has been at the club for a ten years, gave an interview last week, where he admitted Brentford can not rest on laurels with the management congratulating itself for jobs well done. “There is no such thing as established,” he said. “That term doesn't really apply in football. At what point are we established? Probably never. For a club of our stature, it's unlikely you can ever become comfortable.”

Rebuilding and Fresh Talent

Brentford kicked off against United in 17th place, the survival zone. Parting with Frank, and leading stars such as the forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, the midfielder and skipper Christian Nørgaard along with shot-stopper Mark Flekken, seemed as if a squad's core was being torn away. Benham, Varney and the sporting director had a strategy; Andrews inherited ability to utilize. Igor Thiago was at the team, the prior off-season's major acquisition lost to Frank through injury. His four goals from 10 shots have come at the highest conversion rate of every Premier League player this season.

Team Assets and Tools

Rapid Kevin Schade was established in the attack; he combined with the forward and Mbeumo in scoring double figures last season. Jordan Henderson brings top-level know-how in the center of the park where stats indicate Yehor Yarmolyuk, 21, as among the top pressers in the Premier League. Yarmolyuk can distribute the ball, as well. Mikkel Damsgaard's stuttering gait belies real creativity and Michael Kayode is a marauding defender who launches the long throws that are key components of the weaponry. Caoimhín Kelleher, who produced a spot-kick stop from United’s Bruno Fernandes, is relishing being a first-choice goalkeeper and Dango Ouattara, the departed star's successor on the right, netted the goal against the Midlands club in August that secured the manager's maiden home win.

Approach and Mindset

With Andrews, Brentford continue to be all-action, resilient, awkward to play against. Though a little more guarded in interviews than his predecessor, Andrews – a ex- radio host on the Irish Newstalk station who previously held a lengthy role as one of the broadcaster's Championship analysts – plays the press relations well. Following his team secured a draw from the Blues after a the forward's set-piece that created chaos, he considered the dead-ball expertise, and the “carnage” it causes, that is now part of most teams’ tactics. “I believe there’s a degree of snobbery in the game regarding situations like that, but if the big boys do it then it seems to be tolerated,” the coach said.

Motivational Figures and Scrutiny

The head coach has attempted to reinvigorate the group by bringing in two Irish athletic icons, the rugby star the former captain and successful golf leader Paul McGinley, to address to his players. Not everyone in his homeland is willing on the nation's initial Premier League manager since Chris Hughton. Andrews questioned the international regime of the former manager and the ex-captain during his punditry work. O’Neill has been highly critical; the pundit a somewhat conciliatory towards a person he gave the full treatment in recent years. “I have encountered a lot of unreliable talkers in the past 10 years and Keith Andrews is among them with the best of them,” were Keane’s comments. Andrews taking on the club's task is the truest evaluation of that and the strength of his club’s structures.