The former Sunderland head coach takes swipe at Keith Andrews after his Brentford appointment
Former Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill has taken a pointed swipe at newly appointed Brentford boss Keith Andrews, questioning the ex-Republic of Ireland international’s credentials and reminding him of past criticisms.
Andrews, who previously served as Brentford’s set-piece coach under Thomas Frank, was named as the club’s new head coach this week following Frank’s departure to Manchester United. The appointment has raised eyebrows, and O’Neill, never one to shy away from a verbal challenge, didn’t hold back.
“Why not? I must admit, why not?” O’Neill said on TalkSPORT. “He has been their set-piece coach. The irony of that there was the fact that when I was the manager of the Republic of Ireland, he was a particularly vitriolic critic of mine at the time, and really was deaf against me using set pieces to try and win games. And the irony — he becomes the set-piece coach of Brentford.”
O’Neill managed Ireland between 2013 and 2018, guiding them to the last 16 of Euro 2016, while Andrews last played for his country back in 2012. During that period, the former Brighton loanee certainly managed to rattle O’Niell’s cage. Now, with Andrews stepping into the dugout himself, O’Neill wished him well, with a twist.
“Really, good luck to him,” O’Neill continued. “Brentford have decided that if that’s the case, he should get it. I hope he does get it, because then he’ll realise what management is all about. It’s just not as easy as sitting in a pundit’s chair and criticising someone who, well, in all honesty, I had a much better career than. You know, he was dealing at the bottom end of it when I was winning the European Cup.”
O’Neill, who managed Sunderland from 2011 to 2013, won two European Cups as a player with Nottingham Forest under Brian Clough. Andrews, in contrast, made over 300 senior appearances as a player but never competed at the same level. The pair’s frosty dynamic dates back nearly a decade, and it seems that O’Neill hasn’t forgotten the criticism.
What other Sunderland transfer news is there?
Sunderland have agreed a deal to sign Reinildo Mandava on a free transfer from Atlético Madrid, with the 31-year-old set to become the club’s latest summer signing.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed the move on Sunday, stating: “Reinildo to Sunderland, here we go! Two year deal done for the left back set to join from Atlético Madrid.” The experienced defender joins following the expiry of his contract with the La Liga side, where he made 74 appearances across all competitions after arriving from Lille in 2022.
Reinildo featured at the Club World Cup earlier this year but fell down the pecking order in Madrid and will now bring valuable experience to a Sunderland squad being rebuilt for Premier League football. Romano also noted that after investing heavily in 21-year-old midfielder Habib Diarra, who has reportedly joined in a club-record £30million deal, Sunderland are now looking to strike the right balance between youth and experience.
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Described as part of an “ambitious project,” the arrival of Reinildo signals another decisive move under owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, head coach Régis Le Bris, and incoming director of football Florent Ghisolfi. Sunderland are expected to continue their recruitment drive, with Armand Laurienté and Marcin Bulka among the players currently being monitored.
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