Goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher has praised the immediate impact of new assistant manager Damien Duff following Brentford's 3-0 opening-day win over Tottenham Hotspur. The Irish stopper kept a clean sheet as goals from Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt and Michael Kayode secured a perfect start for the Bees at the Gtech Community Stadium this week, as reported by the Irish Examiner.
Kelleher, who joined from Liverpool last summer, described the performance as a very positive start. He highlighted the team's strong pre-season work and the seamless integration of summer signing Mamadou Sangaré. The Mali midfielder, a €50 million arrival from Lens, was instrumental, providing an assist and influencing the other goals. Brentford's current squad shows the depth manager Keith Andrews is building in his second year in charge.
What did Caoimhín Kelleher say about Damien Duff?
The goalkeeper worked with Duff during his time with the Republic of Ireland setup and was delighted to reunite with him at club level. Kelleher said the former winger has brought fresh energy to the training ground. "He's been brilliant," Kelleher told the Irish Examiner. "He's full of energy, wants to get better. He comes in and works hard on the training pitch every day." Duff's arrival adds significant top-level experience to Andrews's coaching staff as Brentford aim to improve on last season's seventh-place finish.
How did Brentford perform against Tottenham?
Brentford were dominant from the outset against a Spurs side featuring several new signings, including Andy Robertson. Sangaré sliced through the defence to set up Lewis-Potter for the opener, a move Kelleher said looked straight from the training ground. Janelt and Kayode added goals either side of half-time to seal a comprehensive victory. The result immediately puts three points on the board and provides a major confidence boost. Fans can see how this win affects the early season picture on the Premier League standings page.
What does this mean for Brentford's season?
The convincing win offers a strong platform for the campaign ahead. Last season, Brentford finished just two points off a European qualification spot, with Kelleher keeping ten clean sheets. The team now looks more settled in Andrews's system, with key players like Mathias Jensen and Nathan Collins providing a solid core. The early evidence suggests the squad has the quality to challenge for a top-six finish again. Key fixtures in the coming weeks, visible on our fixtures list, will test this early momentum.
Kelleher also spoke about his own move from Liverpool, stating he needed to be a number one and has loved his time in West London so far. After the match, he consoled friend and former teammate Robertson, who endured a difficult debut for Tottenham. Robertson acknowledged his new side have areas to improve but remains optimistic for the long season. For Brentford, the focus is on maintaining the standards set in this impressive opening display.
