FORMER IRELAND MANAGER Martin O’Neill has delivered some withering analysis on the future of Keith Andrews as he seems poised to get the manager’s job at Brentford.

Following Thomas Frank’s appointment as Tottenham Hotspur manager, Andrews – who was set-piece coach for Frank – has moved into a strong position to take the reigns at the west London club.

Speaking on Talksport, former Celtic manager O’Neill expressed his hope that Andrews would get the job, “because then he will realise what management is all about”.

While O’Neill was in charge of Ireland, Andrews was an outspoken critic of O’Neill and his assistant Roy Keane, in a spell when they reached the Euro finals and beat Italy.

“He has been their set-piece coach,” said O’Neill of Andrews.

“The irony is when I was manager of the Republic of Ireland he was a particularly vitriolic critic of mine at the time. He was really dead against me trying to use setpieces to try to win games.

“The irony is he becomes the set-piece coach. Really I say good luck to him. Brentford have decided, if it is the case, that he should get it.”

He added, “I hope he does get it because then he will realise what management is all about. It’s not as easy to be sitting in a pundit’s chair sitting to criticise someone who in all honesty had a much better career than he had.

“He was dealing at the bottom end of it when I was winning the European Cup. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be criticising. Everyone to their own. But it’ll be a different ball game now.”

It wasn’t all swipes however, as he did throw some praise in Andrews’ direction.

“In terms of some of the decisions he has made, I think he has done very well as the set-piece coach. A lot of credit has gone to him for the fast starts Brentford have made in games,” said the Kilrea man.

“He is stepping into an unknown. It’s all very well when you can be the friend of the players. You can have the set-pieces, you can be the coach sitting there in the room. It’s a different ball game when you’re making the big decisions.”