Kieran McKenna's Ipswich Town future amid West Ham links - “no concern” claim made | OneFootball

The Tractor Boys boss has been linked with the Premier League side in some quarters

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has been linked with the West Ham job, where Graham Potter is currently struggling.

The story comes from Football Insider, who revealed he was a surprise guest in the Hammers’ boardroom during their recent game against West Ham.

Against a background of the club’s current issues, the report has aroused suspicions of McKenna being lined up as a replacement.

We asked our Ipswich fan pundit, Adam Wilkin, whether he’s worried about the latest update.

Kieran McKenna is going nowhere

Speaking to Football League World, Adam said: “The links for McKenna to West Ham have already been rubbished by Town's head of socials, so no concern at all there.

“And even before they had been denied, I wasn’t worried about it.

“The last two summers, McKenna has clearly committed to Ipswich Town, and to staying at Portman Road, despite various linked interests from all over the place.

“He's been backed by the board, he's been given a new contract, and I can't see him going anywhere outside a top six club in the Premier League, particularly not West Ham, who are in a bit of a crisis and seem like one of the least stable clubs in the Premier League right now.”

It would take a lot for Kieran McKenna to leave Ipswich Town

McKenna has built up such a reputation at Ipswich, having taken them from League One all the way to the Premier League, that he now commands a level of power and respect that likely wouldn’t exist elsewhere.

As Adam says, he has been backed this summer, with substantial fees paid for Sindre Walle Egeli, Kasey McAteer, Azor Matusiwa and Marcelino Nunez from arch-rivals Norwich City.

Despite Ipswich’s relegation, and a mixed start to this Championship season, he enjoys ultimate faith from the club and the fans.

For a figure with no senior playing links to a club, a relationship like that with a fanbase and community is gold dust, something clearly recognised by McKenna having not responded to the interest he’s already fielded.

West Ham wouldn’t be the best move for Kieran McKenna

And as Adam also states, West Ham is a troubled club at the moment.

A relegation on his CV with Ipswich won’t count against him too much, as it was an uphill task remaining in the division to begin with, but things may be viewed differently with West Ham.

Despite that, they are a serious contender for the drop this season, having lost three of their opening four games, not helped by the generally poor atmosphere around the club.

Talent managers like Graham Potter and Julen Lopetegui have gone in there and struggled, and there’s no saying that McKenna wouldn’t be the same.

While it’s another shot at the Premier League, he may encounter a very similar season to the one he fought with Ipswich, and be out of the door again at some point over the next season if it doesn’t go right.

Legacy with one club is not everything, and if a genuinely top Premier League side had a look at McKenna, he would surely find it difficult to turn down, but for the sake of taking a job with a struggling Premier League side, not much ahead of where he had this Ipswich side last year, it is not worth damaging the relationship he has built at Portman Road.

There may one day be a job that comes along that McKenna finds too difficult to refuse, but it would be surprising if West Ham turned out to be that vacancy.