During Brentford’s pre-season trip to Portugal, Keith Andrews extended an invitation to Nathan Collins for a chat over a cup of tea.

The focus of this conversation was the captaincy, and Andrews had set his sights on Collins for the leadership role.

“It was unbelievable,” Collins shared with Daily Mail Sport at the Gtech Community Stadium, reflecting on the moment five months later. “I called my parents right away, and they were thrilled. I told my girlfriend, my family, anyone I could think of.”

This opportunity arose amid significant changes at Brentford. Long-time manager Thomas Frank had left for Tottenham after a seven-year tenure, taking three staff members with him. Key players like captain Christian Norgaard, goalkeeper Mark Flekken, and top scorer Bryan Mbeumo also exited the club. Yoane Wissa, who went on strike, left on transfer deadline day.

Wissa and Mbeumo had been instrumental, scoring a combined 39 Premier League goals in the previous season, and their departures came just a year after Ivan Toney’s high-profile exit.

Nathan Collins was appointed Brentford captain at a time of major upheaval for the club but has helped steady the ship 

The Bees are now just six points off fifth place in the Premier League and closer to the Champions League places than the relegation spots

Collins says Brentford’s players are ‘enjoying’ playing under Keith Andrews (right), who took over from Thomas Frank in the summer

Such significant changes posed a challenge for any team, particularly with Andrews, a rookie manager, now in charge. Many analysts quickly dismissed Brentford’s chances, predicting relegation and speculating that Andrews might be the first manager to be sacked. However, the Bees have since proven the critics wrong.

The Bees sit 15th, only six points off the top five – and have enjoyed notable victories over Liverpool, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Manchester United along the way. They will be looking to add to that list in their Carabao Cup quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium tonight, even if a trip to Manchester City is arguably the toughest assignment in the country.

‘It (the outside criticism) gives you that bit of motivation to prove people wrong,’ adds Collins, who is a fan favourite at the Gtech after joining from Wolves in 2023 in a club-record deal. ‘We had it last year and the season before. People have opinions, that’s natural, but you get on with it.’

The doubters should have known better really. After all, Brentford are a club that do things differently and have always made sharp decisions under owner Matthew Benham. Benham promoted from within when Mark Warburton became manager in 2013 and did the same with Frank in 2018. Those decisions turned out all right.

‘This was always going to be a tough season but we’re enjoying it under Keith,’ adds Collins, who last season blocked more shots (57) than any other Premier League player and ranked in the top three for both aerial duels won (117) and clearances (226).

‘Our home form has been exceptional. What we’re creating here with the fans’ backing for us has been top. We’ve been in a lot of away games, but we need to get over the line to nick a few more results which would bump us up the table.

‘We’ve also got a good group, and we get on well off the pitch. There’s a lot to be excited about.’

Collins, who was the only outfield player in the Premier League to play every minute last season, is relishing the responsibility of being captain. The Irishman is just 24, but he has a maturity that belies his years.

Collins attends ‘Christmas with the Bees’ at the Gtech Community Stadium, a festive celebration where young fans meet players and Andrews in the first-team dressing room

It quickly becomes apparent that Collins is adored by the young supporters – ‘I love doing this,’ he says. ‘You know how much it means to the kids’

Collins is Mr Reliable – he was the only outfield player in the Premier League to play every minute last season, and relishes the responsibility of being captain

A key factor in Brentford’s ability to deal with the challenges of the last few years has been the tight-knit dressing room Collins refers to, and ‘connection’ is a word he mentions often.

That unique culture and spirit across the club has allowed Brentford to punch above their weight.

‘As soon as I came here, I felt that family vibe,’ says Collins. ‘The staff make it easy for players to feel comfortable and get on with football. It is such a family club and that’s a reason why I love it so much.

‘The dressing room culture has been worked on for years and even though players have left, you carry on doing the same stuff. The squad is full of good people. I could sit there with anybody and have a conversation for an hour. That is such a strong thing to have.’

The dressing room has grown even tighter through various initiatives driven by Andrews and the club. This season, former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley visited the training ground and Irish rugby legend Johnny Sexton spent a few days with the squad. Collins was able to pick Sexton’s brain, and he believes Brentford’s willingness to open up to outsiders is testament to their culture.

On one day each month an international player chooses the food at the training ground. There was recently a Ukrainian day in honour of midfielder Yehor Yarmoliuk. ‘We have lads from all over the world and for them to share their experience with us is a lovely touch,’ says Collins. ‘They’re so happy to show it to us and it brings a bit of homeliness for them because they’re young, away from home and missing their family. It’s a great thing to do.’

That spirit is evidenced by Collins speaking ahead of joining team-mates at the club’s Christmas with the Bees event at the Gtech, a festive celebration where a section of fans aged 14 and under meet players and Andrews in the first-team dressing room.

When the event gets underway, it quickly becomes apparent that Collins is adored by the young supporters – and that he appreciates the extra responsibilities that come with the captaincy.

A trio of delighted young Brentford supporters pose for photos with Andrews

The Irish boss has made the Bees more aggressive, with captain Collins leading by example

‘I love doing this,’ he adds. ‘You know how much it means to the kids and their parents – it can make their year. It’s a great thing and it creates a nice connection. Kids are the future fans too, so they’ll be the ones shouting and cheering us on in the future. It’s brilliant seeing so many happy kids.’

Collins is full of praise for Andrews, whom he has known since his teenage years, and his ability to fill players with confidence. He cites 11-goal Igor Thiago as a prime example.

Despite the noise when he was appointed, the former set-piece coach has impressed since making the step up to the top job.

Andrews has introduced small adaptations, making Brentford tougher to play against and more aggressive. He has continued to build on their set-piece threat and the squad work hard on this, although that threat has been slightly nullified in recent weeks. They have become increasingly dynamic in attack and are having less of the ball. Yet despite these tweaks Andrews made the transition simple for his players.

‘It felt like another day when we returned for pre-season,’ says Collins. ‘I don’t think he wanted to change anything drastic, but it’s been small changes in a controlled way to make things better. That steadied the ship a bit with the turnover.’

A new core is developing, which includes Collins as captain, Thiago as the focal point after an injury-hit debut season, and summer additions Dango Ouattara, Caoimhin Kelleher and Jordan Henderson. The signing of Henderson was a coup for the club and the England midfielder has driven standards on and off the pitch.

Conversation inevitably turns to international duty and Collins smiles as he recalls captaining Ireland to their remarkable wins over Portugal and Hungary last month, which kept their World Cup hopes alive.

‘I’ve never felt like that in a match before,’ he adds of the 3-2 comeback win over Hungary where Troy Parrott scored a 96th-minute winner. ‘It was mad. Still, you don’t believe it happened and how crazy it was. It was an unbelievable experience and something I’ll always treasure.’

Collins believes Brentford can build on their 10th-place finish last season and become a staple of the Premier League’s top half

The 24-year-old is full of praise for Andrews, whom he has known since his teenage years, and his ability to fill players with confidence

Ireland face the Czech Republic in the play-off semi-final in March, with the winner taking on Denmark or North Macedonia to secure a spot in a group with Mexico, South Africa, and South Korea next summer. Collins watched the World Cup draw, but insists his international ambitions are parked for now.

The defender, whose dad, uncle, and older brother were all footballers, doesn’t want to be drawn into setting targets, but he believes Brentford can build on their 10th-place finish last season and become a staple of the Premier League’s top half.

‘I don’t like to look too far ahead,’ concludes Collins, who relaxes away from football by playing PlayStation with his friends in Ireland, cooking and going for walks with his girlfriend. ‘I just want to play as much as I can and win as many games as possible.

‘You always want to do better than last season and we have lots to improve on, but so far it’s not been too bad.’