Kieran McKenna has won successive promotions with Ipswich Town but spent six years on the coaching staff at Manchester United.
It’s amazing to think back at McKenna’s time as a coach at United. He was thought highly of by his colleagues, who won’t be surprised by his impressive job at Ipswich, but some fans online subjected Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching staff to harsh criticism.
Michael Carrick was in the same boat and he’s done an impressive job at Middlesbrough.
Now, McKenna has emerged as a surprise candidate to replace Erik ten Hag if the Dutchman leaves United at the end of the season.
That is according to The Guardian’s Ed Aarons, who claims McKenna is also attracting strong interest from other Premier League clubs, including Brighton should Roberto De Zerbi depart. The Italian has been linked with bigger jobs and is set to discuss his future with Brighton owner Tony Bloom at the end of the season.
Aarons reports: “He [McKenna] is believed to be under serious consideration to take over from Ten Hag should United decide to bring an end to his tenure after a disappointing second season in charge, with the co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe poised to review his position after the FA Cup final against Manchester City a week on Saturday.”
The report adds that initial contact has already been made between United and McKenna’s representatives – but sources say it is still “early days”.
Fabrizio Romano gave a similar update to the Thomas Frank links, after the Brentford manager emerged as a potential candidate to succeed Ten Hag at Old Trafford. The Italian reporter stressed that it’s too early to discuss candidates when United have yet to make a decision on Ten Hag.
Ipswich will do their utmost to keep McKenna ahead of their return to the top-flight. He signed a new deal at the end of last season that ties him to the club until 2027.
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Found out things about him I didn’t know on Wiki – he’s done well and been sought-after wherever he’s gone.
But clearly there is some malaise at Old Trafford – see leaks to the press, for one – so one or more bad eggs need to be shown the door. It may be that the suspect(s) has been identified and will be among the summer clear-out, if not, we’ll need a strong, experienced Manager to identify and sort. Otherwise, McKenna has a hell of a task on his hands, get new players to gel, lift morale, get rid of malcontents, and GET UNITED PLAYING UNITED FOOTBALL. This might be a task he’d relish and be capable of, otherwise we just might damage a bright young Manager. For that reason, I’d now been inclined to give ETH another season, with new players and – hopefully, surely – fewer injuries. Everyone would know he’s drinking in Last Chance Saloon, and no surprise if he didn’t see the year out. Another Manager at the end of this Season is most likely to be given 3-year contract during which time McKenna could be grabbed by another club and again we haven’t advanced post-Fergie if the newbie doesn’t work out. Whereas, tell McKenna we’ll contact him within the year; providing he wants the job!
I’m an Ipswich fan and find this news baffling. McKenna has worked wonders at Ipswich but has been in club management for under three seasons. Although he worked for Manchester United as a coach for a few years, it’s an enormous leap from Ipswich to Manchester United. Most Manchester United managers have won a few honours with other clubs before taking the job. McKenna as Manchester United in a few years from now is a possibility, but not yet.
I appreciate you offering a different perspective, Geoff. Sound.
Geoff, I’m guessing you typed this left-handed because the fingers on your right are tightly crossed 🙂
As far as I can recall, Sir Alf Ramsey had no managerial experience prior to joining Ipswich, and Bobby Robson had limited experience with Fulham, culminating in the sack. So both made leaps…and didn’t do too badly!
You know the old saying: if they’re good enough they’re good enough.
Id love to see Ten Hag driving our team next season but we also need to have some discussions with Mc Kena coz even arsenal did it with Arteta when he was at city