3 Kieran McKenna replacements Ipswich Town now must consider after AFC Bournemouth update | OneFootball

Kieran McKenna has been linked with a move away from Ipswich Town this summer

Kieran McKenna is on the verge of guiding Ipswich Town to the Premier League for a second time in three years.

The Tractor Boys took a giant stride towards automatic promotion with a 2-0 win away to bitter rivals Norwich City on Saturday.

The Suffolk outfit moved definitively ahead of Millwall and Middlesbrough after the trio of sides all went into the weekend on the same amount of points.

And McKenna’s side also have two games in hand, as well as a two point advantage on third place Millwall, giving them a commanding position in the table.

However, it’s been reported that Bournemouth view the Northern Irishman as a leading contender for the departing Andoni Iraola.

Here we look at three potential replacements Ipswich must consider if McKenna departs for the Premier League side…

Thomas Frank

Thomas Frank is currently out of work following his departure from Tottenham Hotspur in February.

The Dane struggled with the London outfit, who are now in danger of suffering relegation to the Championship.

However, their form has not improved since his sacking, and they have yet to even win since then, so this suggests that it’s a personnel issue and not necessarily down to just his coaching that has put Spurs in this position.

The 52-year-old is proven in the Premier League from his time at Brentford, and that is a much more relevant track record as far as the Tractor Boys are concerned.

His Bees side were impressive for being physically dominant, tough to break down and lethal on the counter attack, which helped establish them in the Premier League.

That could be just what’s needed at Portman Road next season if McKenna departs.

Kim Hellberg

Kim Hellberg has done a fantastic job at Middlesbrough since taking over in November, keeping the team in the promotion mix.

While their recent form has faltered slightly, there is every chance that the Teesside outfit could return to the Premier League.

But if they are in the Championship and Ipswich gain promotion, then poaching the Swede could be a smart move in order to replace McKenna.

The 38-year-old has adapted well to English football, has a clear style of play that should prove attractive to supporters and he is still quite young, so can improve as a coach as he gains more and more experience.

Acquiring his services from Middlesbrough may prove tricky, and potentially impossible if they gain promotion, but it might be a worthwhile pursuit in the long run.

Kjetil Knutsen

Kjetil Knutsen likely won’t have any interest in working in the second division, but if Ipswich gain promotion then this is an option they must explore.

The Norwegian has done an excellent job with Bodo/Glimt in the last few years, most notably bringing them to the Champions League round of 16 this season.

Wins over Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Sporting Clube de Portugal highlighted how well he’s done with the club.

He’s also won the Eliteserien four times since joining Bodo/Glimt in 2018, while earning progress in Europe year after year.