Why Brighton & Chelsea wanted Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna in 2024 - Celtic will hope for better luck | OneFootball

Kieran McKenna has been linked with potentially taking over at Celtic

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has emerged as an early contender to replace Brendan Rodgers as the Celtic manager.

According to The Scotsman, the 39-year-old is greatly admired by the Glasgow outfit, who are searching for a new head coach after Rodgers’ resignation on Monday evening.

Martin O’Neill was appointed on an interim basis, but it’s understood that the Scottish Premiership side are looking to move quickly in order to appoint a permanent successor.

Celtic are eight points adrift of league leaders Hearts following their 3-1 loss to them at the weekend, putting their grip on the title at risk.

But the Scottish giants aren’t the first club to show an interest in appointing McKenna since his arrival at Ipswich in December 2021.

Why Brighton and Chelsea wanted to appoint Kieran McKenna

Brighton and Chelsea were both searching for a new manager after the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign, with Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino both departing their respective sides.

The Seagulls had just finished 11th in the Premier League table, missing out on a second year of European football with a disappointing run of form to end the term.

Meanwhile, the Blues finished sixth, earning their place in the Conference League through five wins from their final five fixtures.

It was reported at the time that both clubs were keen on the appointment of McKenna, who had just guided the Tractor Boys to a second consecutive promotion.

It was claimed that Ipswich’s attacking style under the Northern Irishman was key to why they both wanted to bring him in from Portman Road.

The Tractor Boys scored 92 times on their way to promotion to the Premier League, the most of any side in the league, which was their first year back in the division after earning a top two place in League One in 2023.

They were the first club to earn back-to-back promotions from the third tier to the top flight in over a decade, with Southampton in 2011 and 2012 doing the same.

Celtic might have better luck appointing Kieran McKenna than Chelsea

It’s been over a year since McKenna turned down Brighton and Chelsea by signing a new contract, and they are no longer a Premier League club.

A 19th place finish in the top flight led to the team going straight back down after just one season.

While it was a disappointing result for the club, McKenna’s reputation remains quite high, with many expecting them to come 20th in the table due to their lack of resources.

So it comes as no surprise that Celtic are interested in the Northern Irishman as a replacement for Rodgers.

It remains to be seen whether he can be swayed to move away from Parkhead, but the timing may be better now that Ipswich have had their chance in the Premier League.

It was always going to be difficult to convince the 39-year-old to depart Portman Road in the summer of 2024, with life in the top flight on the horizon.

Given the Suffolk outfit’s mixed start to the new season, he may feel that now is the time to make that move and work elsewhere, particularly at a club that can offer Champions League football and the chance to win regular silverware.