Brentford have agreed a deal to make Keith Andrews their new head coach following the departure of Thomas Frank to Tottenham.
Andrews, who joined the Bees last season as a set-piece coach, has never previously held a head coaching role.
As Standard Sport reported back in April, Andrews previously made the four-man shortlist for the vacant managerial position at MK Dons, where he'd previously played and served as an assistant during the 2015-16 season under Karl Robinson.
Andrews was also an assistant under Stephen Kenny for both the Under-21s and senior Republic of Ireland team before taking up a coaching role at Sheffield United during the 2023-24 campaign.
Taking on the head coach role at Brentford constitutes a massive step up for Andrews, as he’s set to lead the Bees into their fifth consecutive season in the Premier League.
Brentford previously promoted from within when handing Frank the head coach position in 2018 after Dean Smith's departure to Aston Villa, and the club are encouraged by the fact that Andrews knows the structure and processes, having spent a year in west London already.
The decision to appoint Andrews represents the biggest risk the club have taken since promotion to the top-flight in 2021, but they will point to the success of Frank as a reason to believe they have made the right decision to promote from within.
Brentford had considered a number of alternative options from across Europe before landing on Andrews, with Ipswich's Kieran McKenna and Francesco Farioli, formerly of Ajax, heavily linked.
Andrews' lack of experience as a number one means it will be interesting to see if Brentford opt to surround the 44-year-old with backroom staff who have head coaching credentials.
Recently departed Shelbourne manager Damien Duff had been linked with becoming an assistant to Andrews, but both Duff and Brentford have since distanced themselves from those claims.
Ultimately Brentford have opted for continuity in a summer of upheaval, with forward Bryan Mbeumo set to be next to leave the club. They will trust that Andrews can steady the ship ahead of a pivotal juncture in the club's Premier League journey.
