Keith Andrews leaves Sheffield United for coaching role at Brentford

Former Ireland assistant coach Keith Andrews is set to join Brentford

Aidan Fitzmaurice

Stephen Kenny’s assistant as Ireland manager, Keith Andrews, is back in the Premier League as he has quit a relegated Sheffield United to take up a role with Brentford.

Andrews joined the staff at Sheffield United last December as part of Chris Wilder’s backroom team but was unable to prevent the club’s slide back into the Championship.

But Brentford have been keeping tabs on the Dubliner and they today named him as their “set-piece coach” where Andrews will again get to work with Irish defender Nathan Collins.

“Everyone at Brentford is extremely happy to see Keith join us at pre-season training for his first day today. He is someone we have known for a while and always had in mind for a role at some point in the future. He is someone we have known for a while and always had in mind for a role at some point in the future,” said Brentford’s director of football Phil Giles.

“Whilst he has had more wide-ranging coaching roles in the past, focusing on set-pieces as a specialism is something which we think he has the qualities to do extremely well, and I’m sure that our staff can help him develop as a coach, too.

“Set-pieces are an important part of what we do well and I’m sure we’ll maintain those standards with Keith in charge.”

Meanwhile an exit from Sheffield United for John Egan now seems inevitable and a move to Nottingham Forest is on the cards.