Kieran McKenna's stance on Celtic job revealed - Ipswich Town may be braced for the worst | OneFootball

Kieran McKenna is reportedly interested in taking over at Celtic after becoming unsettled at Ipswich Town.

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is reportedly interested in taking over at Celtic.

Celtic are currently on the search for a new permanent manager following the shock resignation of Brendan Rodgers last month, with Martin O'Neill returning to the club on an interim basis while the club continue their hunt for his replacement.

O'Neill has led the Hoops to back-to-back victories over Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership and bitter rivals Rangers in the Scottish League Cup semi-final in his first two games in charge, but the 73-year-old has insisted he is not interested in the full-time job.

McKenna was one of the first names linked with the Scottish giants after Rodgers' exit, and according to Football Insider, the 39-year-old is "very interested" in taking over at Celtic Park.

The report also reveals that McKenna is "becoming increasingly unsettled" at Ipswich, and with the Tractor Boys making an inconsistent start to the season in the Championship, despite being widely tipped for promotion, the Northern Irishman is "suddenly being questioned by the club’s hierarchy", which has only increased speculation about a possible move to Glasgow.

Kieran McKenna interested in Celtic job amid Ipswich Town exit speculation

In addition to McKenna, Ange Postecoglou and Craig Bellamy are also among the names to have been linked with Celtic in recent weeks, but a return for the former is believed to be unlikely, while the latter insisted this week that he remains fully committed to his job as Wales manager.

McKenna was quizzed on the speculation ahead of Ipswich's trip to QPR last week, and while he stressed that he was only focused on events at Portman Road, he failed to completely rule out the prospect of a move north of the border.

"It's not something I've given any thought to," McKenna told Sky Sports.

"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.

"And we're in a really important season and stage of the season. We have a big week coming up, three big games starting with QPR.

"Honestly, anything outside of that hasn't touched my radar. I've been 100 per cent committed to the group here, helping players get ready for the game."

McKenna also revealed that he had not been the subject of an approach from Celtic or held any talks about the vacancy, but with Football Insider revealing that he holds a strong interest in the role, it seems he could be tempted to join the Scottish giants, particularly as he is believed to be becoming unsettled at Ipswich after an underwhelming start to the season that currently sees them sitting 10th in the table.

However, if the Hoops were to firm up their interest in McKenna, it is unclear exactly when they would make a formal move as it has been claimed that, should he secure positive results in the upcoming games, interim manager O'Neill could be offered the job until the end of the season.

Fresh Kieran McKenna, Celtic update will be a big concern for Ipswich Town

Given that McKenna was a boyhood Celtic fan, Ipswich supporters would already have been concerned about the prospect of losing him once the speculation emerged last month, so the latest report will do little to ease their fears about his potential exit.

McKenna did insist that he remained committed to his role with the Tractor Boys last week, but with the club currently languishing mid-table in the Championship, it seems he is under more pressure from the hierarchy than he has been used to during his time at Portman Road.

If McKenna is feeling unsettled in Suffolk, then he may feel it is the right time for a new challenge after almost four years in charge, and there are few jobs out there that would be more tempting for him than Celtic.