Brentford held informal talks with Ange Postecoglou about replacing Thomas Frank, who left to manage Tottenham Hotspur on a three-year deal.
Director of football Phil Giles spoke with Postecoglou following Frank’s exit, but both parties agreed not to proceed. “There’s always going to be some degree of risk,” Giles said, explaining the decision to go with a more familiar face.
The club also considered Francesco Farioli, now at Porto, but ultimately promoted set-piece coach Keith Andrews. A former Republic of Ireland international, Andrews joined Brentford last summer and worked under Frank for a year. His understanding of the squad and a strong presentation made him the top candidate.
Postecoglou, sacked by Spurs two weeks after winning the Europa League, had led them to their first trophy in 17 years. Despite the historic win, Spurs finished 17th in the league under his leadership in a season marred by injuries.