What Kieran McKenna said on his Ipswich Town future as Celtic drama unfolds | OneFootball

Kieran McKenna was linked with the head coach role at Celtic before the Bhoys chose to appoint Wilfried Nancy instead

Kieran McKenna was linked with the Celtic head coach vacancy following the resignation of fellow Northern Irish boss Brendan Rodgers, though the Scottish giants ultimately chose to appoint French head coach Wilfried Nancy instead, which so far hasn't gone to plan.

Having achieved back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League after taking over at Ipswich Town in his first senior managerial role in December 2021, Kieran McKenna's job in Suffolk has never come under scrutiny.

Despite immediately dropping back down to the Championship at the end of last season, McKenna's role in the Portman Road dugout never came under any serious doubt, and even with the Tractor Boys not having hit the heights many would have expected them to this campaign, McKenna's position remains strong.

However, following the departure of Brendan Rodgers at Celtic, McKenna was reportedly named as a potential option to take charge of the Scottish giants before the appointment of French boss Wilfried Nancy.

Nancy, having only managed CF Montreal and Columbus Crew in his managerial career, has already broken records since his move from the USA to Scotland. Unfortunately for him, they are all the wrong records.

The Frenchman has lost each of his opening four games at Celtic, becoming the first manager in their history to do so, and already under a mountain of pressure, McKenna has once again been linked with the role at Celtic Park should Nancy lose his job.

What Kieran McKenna has said about his Ipswich Town role amid links to Celtic

Having first been linked with the Celtic role back in late October, McKenna was quick to calm down any rumours of a switch, saying: "It's not something I've given any thought to.

"It's not where any part of my concentration is this week to be honest. I know I've got a really special job here at a special and massive football club and one I have a great affinity to.

"I work here as if I'm going to be here forever, I have done since the first day I was here. I will try to do everything for the long-term good of the football club."

Indeed, any deal to get McKenna out of Ipswich would cost at least a £5 million compensation fee, as reported by The Sun, given the Northern Irishman signed a fresh four-year deal in May 2024 following the club's promotion to the Premier League.

Though, with Ipswich yet to hit the heights of two seasons prior that many would have expected them to, and McKenna himself will be more aware of that fact than almost anyone else.

Following their late draw with Blackburn Rovers in early December, where the head coach was openly critical of his side's performance, McKenna said: "This group aren't there yet, and teams play very differently against us in this season than the last season in the Championship.

"The reality is that you look at almost every metric and we have more chances and shots than we did in that season, and we concede less, but that group had something we haven't found in this group yet.

"The connection, the chemistry that group had, it doesn't come around every year, it doesn't come around every decade - not just in one club, in English football."

Replicating the chemistry and form of the side that earned back-to-back promotions two years ago was always going to be, at best, an almost impossible task, and so it has proven to be, as although Ipswich has performed as the best side in their underlying numbers, they are clearly lacking something that the squad of 2023/24 had.

As recently as their recent defeat 3-1 defeat to Leicester City, McKenna admitted his side have struggled with their resilience to come back into games when going a goal behind, with the defeat away to the Foxes indicative of exactly that, with McKenna saying: "Our response to going behind is something we can still work on as a group and find a little bit more."

It's clear things aren't going exactly the way he, or anyone at Ipswich would have been hoping following their relegation and lofty ambitions, and should the Tractor Boys continue to fail to mount a real title challenge and Celtic sack Nancy, the Bhoys may well revisit a move for McKenna, who may be more open to the switch should his side continue to struggle.

Losing Kieran McKenna would be a huge blow for Ipswich Town

Despite their worrying lack of form nearly halfway through the season, McKenna has enough credit in the bank that many Ipswich fans would be gutted to see the back of him.

The 39-year-old has only ever managed Ipswich in the mens professional game, and the affinity between him and the fans is clear to see, with the back-to-back promotions living long in the memory of the majority of supporters.

McKenna's role at the club goes beyond what happens on the pitch, playing a crucial role in the club's transfer business and turning their finances around from when it found itself languishing in the third tier.

The Northern Irishman has brought a huge degree of stability to the club during a period where it was seriously lacking it, and is now the club's longest-serving head coach since Mick McCarthy.

Should he depart, Ipswich will have a huge job of replacing him, with McKenna familiar with the entire dressing room, having helped put the squad together in his image.