Keith Andrews believes Brentford can break through the “ceiling” that kept them out of Europe last season as the Bees look to build on an encouraging start to the new Premier League campaign.
Brentford missed out on a first qualification for European football by the narrowest of margins in May, when Dango Ouattara headed over in the final seconds of a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. Victory would have lifted the club into seventh place and secured a Europa League spot.
Andrews, who was visibly distraught at the final whistle, has since used the disappointment as motivation. He says the experience strengthened the group’s belief that European qualification is a realistic target rather than an unrealistic ambition.
“Naturally, the next step for us is to try and break that ceiling,” the Brentford head coach said.
That pursuit has been supported by a quieter and more targeted summer in the transfer market. Unlike last year, when Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Norgaard and Yoane Wissa all departed, Brentford have retained the core of the squad Andrews wanted to keep.
The club’s recruitment has instead focused on adding depth and experience. Jannik Schuster arrived to strengthen the centre of defence, while Callum Wilson and Jaidon Anthony brought Premier League knowledge. Mamadou Sangare has also made an immediate impression, with El Hadji Malick Diouf joining from West Ham United on a five-year contract, with an option for a further season.
Brentford were the Premier League’s eighth-lowest spenders during the summer, investing £112.5 million, but Andrews believes the additions have addressed weaknesses that surfaced during the previous campaign.
“At certain stages last season, we just lacked that little bit at senior experience in the squad, different options within games to change it,” he said. “At times they probably needed a little bit more help.”
Keith Andrews targets further Brentford improvement
Andrews has also strengthened his coaching staff with the appointment of former Republic of Ireland team-mate Damien Duff as his assistant. Duff, who led Shelbourne to the League of Ireland title in 2024, officially joined Brentford in June.
The appointment has given Andrews another experienced voice as he prepares for his second season in charge. Brentford’s head coach described Duff as an “unbelievable support” whose presence has added detail and impact to the club’s daily work.
For Andrews, improvement is not limited to the league table. He wants individual players to develop, the team to become less predictable in possession and the Bees to retain their defensive aggression without the ball.
Set-pieces remain a particular area of strength, while the manager is also challenging his players to create chances in different ways and to switch between pressing high, defending deep and attacking in transition.
“Players getting better naturally improves the team,” Andrews said. “Then you look at each phase of the game.”
The early evidence has been promising. Brentford opened the 2026/27 Premier League season with a 3-0 victory over Tottenham at the Gtech Community Stadium, with Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt and Michael Kayode on target. Igor Thiago also struck the post from the penalty spot.
They followed that performance with a 6-1 Carabao Cup win away to Birmingham City before drawing 1-1 with Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday, August 30.
The victory over Tottenham was particularly significant for Andrews, who praised the atmosphere created by the Brentford supporters and the connection between the fans and the players.
“The players are playing freely, with a lot of verve and personality,” he said. “The only way you keep that going is keeping striving, keeping pushing each other, being very demanding of each other.”
Brentford host Sunderland on Saturday, September 5, before travelling to Bournemouth and then welcoming Chelsea to west London on Friday, September 18. Their next five league fixtures also include trips to Aston Villa and a home meeting with Liverpool.
Andrews knows nothing will be handed to his side in a competitive Premier League, but the near miss at Anfield has given Brentford a clear benchmark. The challenge now is to turn last season’s frustration into the consistency required to go one place further.
