Ipswich Town set for potential Kieran McKenna boost amid Celtic managerial twist | OneFootball

The managerial situation at Parkhead has taken another potential twist

Ipswich Town have been handed a potential boost in their aim of retaining Kieran McKenna's services as another twist involving the managerial situation at SPFL giants, Celtic has taken place.

That's because, according to reports from Football Insider on Monday morning, the Hoops are moving towards a deal which would see current interim manager, Martin O'Neill, take the permanent reins at Parkhead for a second time.

McKenna has been heavily linked with a number of high-profile vacancies ever since his stock on the managerial circuit shot up after achieving the remarkable feat of back-to-back promotions with the Tractor Boys as they rose from League One and into the Premier League between 2022 and 2024.

The Northern Irishman remains highly-rated by several opposition sides in England or north of the border as a result, but has so often remained loyal to the Blues, who handed him a first breakthrough in full-time management almost four years ago after he took over at Portman Road from Paul Cook in December 2021.

Speculation over a potential move to the SPFL for McKenna has been rife within the past month or so too, having initially, and rather ironically, been linked with the prior vacancy at Celtic's Old Firm rivals, Rangers, who eventually moved to replace Russell Martin with ex-Sheffield Wednesday boss, Danny Rohl.

He has since been linked with a switch to the other side of Glasgow, with the Bhoys on the hunt for Brendan Rodgers' long-term successor after the 52-year-old resigned on October 27th after a 3-1 defeat at league leaders, Hearts.

O'Neill and Shaun Maloney have taken interim charge for the past two games, yet after emerging victorious in Sunday's Old Firm Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, the experienced figure could be in line to take over in the long run.

Fresh Martin O'Neill, Celtic FC developments could hand Ipswich Town major Kieran McKenna boost

As previously mentioned, McKenna has emerged as one of several high-profile candidates for the long-term role in charge of Celtic within the past week, initially being named alongside Wales head coach, Craig Bellamy and Ange Postecoglou, who has endured mixed fortunes with Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest since leaving Parkhead at the end of the 2022/23 season.

It was also claimed that, in order to lure the ex-Manchester United assistant away from the Championship side, the reigning SPFL champions would have to part with over £5m, leaving many questioning whether McKenna would take up the vacancy as O'Neill and Maloney prepared their side for fixtures against Falkirk and their bitter rivals.

After returning to winning ways in the league in midweek with a 4-0 success, O'Neill secured Celtic's passage to the Scottish League Cup final against St Mirren in December with a 3-1 win against Rangers after extra-time thanks to goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand.

McKenna played down links to the job in the lead-up to Town's 4-1 success at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, and his current employers could be set for a potential boost, with Football Insider claiming that Celtic are edging closer to striking a permanent agreement with O'Neill, which would see the 73-year-old take the job on a full-time basis.

The fellow Northern Irishman is increasingly popular with supporters having delivered seven major honours during his first stint, as well as a run to the UEFA Cup final in 2002/03, where Celtic were defeated by Porto in Seville.

The aforementioned report states that the club are likely to announce their next managerial appointment during the upcoming international break.

Ipswich Town supporters will hope fresh Celtic developments provide Kieran McKenna boost

It has been a stop-start opening three months of the Championship season for Ipswich, who are now hoping to finally build some consistency following Saturday's convincing win at Loftus Road.

McKenna's side have now moved back into the top-half with those three points, and are just six points behind the automatic promotion places with a game in hand.

Town supporters have become used to seeing the 39-year-old become the subject of intense departure rumours despite the fact he is under contract until 2028, which is where the aforementioned compensation sum can be seen as a major deterrent for other clubs looking to poach his services.

It remains to be seen what twists could still unfold in this managerial saga, but those in Suffolk will be delighted if such new developments ring true.