Brentford head coach Keith Andrews has set his sights on breaking the club's ceiling after an agonising near-miss for Europe last season and a promising start to the new campaign. Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports this week, Andrews reflected on the dramatic finale at Anfield and outlined his vision for pushing the Bees forward, with the team currently sitting 5th in the Premier League with four points from two games.
Just over three months ago, Brentford's European dream evaporated in the final seconds of the 2025/26 season. Needing a win at Liverpool to finish seventh, they were drawing 1-1 deep into added time. A golden chance arrived in the 100th minute when Vitaly Janelt's cross found Kevin Schade, but Dango Ouattara's intervention steered the ball off target. "This is a baseline," Andrews said of that experience. "We'll continue to push hard."
How has the squad changed this summer?
The close season brought significant change to the Brentford squad. Key sales included Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United, Christian Norgaard to Arsenal, and a protracted departure for Yoane Wissa to Newcastle. Ethan Pinnock and Frank Onyeka both moved to Coventry, with Onyeka having spent much of the previous two seasons away from west London. Despite being the eighth-lowest spenders in the league with an outlay of £112.5m, Andrews and the recruitment team worked to refresh the group. They brought in younger profile centre-back Jannik Schuster, experienced Premier League forwards Callum Wilson and Jaidon Anthony, and promising talents like Mamadou Sangare, Malick Diouf from West Ham, and Michael Kayode, a player Andrews is keen to develop further.
What has the start to the new season been like?
Brentford have begun the 2026/27 season with verve, just as their coach desired. They opened with an impressive 3-0 victory over Tottenham at the Gtech Community Stadium, a performance praised by Sky Sports analyst Jamie Redknapp for its defensive bravery and use of high centre-backs. A 6 1 thrashing of Birmingham in the Carabao Cup followed, before a -1 draw at Leeds United. Andrews felt his side were denied a clear penalty at Elland Road when Kevin Schade was tripped by Jayden Bogle. The results leave Brentford 5th in the table, having scored four goals and conceded just one, putting them two points behind leaders Manchester City. You can see the full standings for the latest league position.
What is the next step for Brentford under Andrews?
For Keith Andrews, the mission is clear: continuous improvement. Appointing former Republic of Ireland teammate Damien Duff as his assistant in June was part of building the right environment. "Naturally, the next step for us is to try and break that ceiling," Andrews told Sky Sports. He believes the path is through individual development, citing Michael Kayode's amazing season as an example of a player they can make better. "You make all your players better, you feed them that confidence, you create that environment, which we do create," he explained. The players are responding, playing with what Andrews describes as freedom and personality.
What comes next for the Bees?
The only way to maintain this early-season momentum is to keep striving. Andrews insists the group must push each other and stay demanding. The immediate focus shifts to the next challenge in the Premier League schedule. Brentford travel to face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on September 12th. The Cherries currently sit 14th in the table, making it a key opportunity for the Bees to build on their positive start. You can view all upcoming dates on the club's fixtures page.
