Kieran McKenna | Close to signing long term deal to stay at Ipswich

I think he is the one. Knows the club, is young, ambitious and fearless and, crucially, is doing special things. He isn’t a middling candidate with a questionable CV. He has accomplished something special and eye-catching which means there is no perceived limit to what he could achieve here.

This is the appointment to make and we shouldn’t waste time anywhere else.

If that’s the case, agree with him now to do a year without pressure at Ipswich, make his mistakes there. Sign players ready for him a year later. City did it with Pep.

If we were that keen on him we’d do it.
 
He won't end up at Chelsea imo. The club is in a bad state for some time now, fans are on their heels and would be all over him (and the owners) after few bed results. Don't believe there is actual interest from either side.
 
It would be a miracle if he kept them up. I've watched a lot of Ipswich over the last year or so and they're definitely an impressive side especially going forward but the defense wasn't that good even at Championship level. How many signings can they realistically make this summer?

Yes defence is weak but I think they'll have a decent goal threat so that could get them a few early wins as a few teams will likely underestimate them when they look at the teamsheet. Certainly need a steady experienced keeper on loan looking at some of the goals Hladky was letting in the run in.

Need to get Hutchinson in from Chelsea on at least another season long loan.

Keep them up and then leave I think. He'll also still be in demand even if they get narrowly relegated.

I think it's possible they stay up. When Sheffield United came up in 2019 they had similar momentum to Ipswich with two quick promotions. Wasn't much prem experience in that squad but they all knew the system under WIlder and just had that winning culture and it translated to the premier league for six months.
 
Problem is he's going to have to completely change their style to have a chance of staying up. Playing expansive, easy on the eye stuff as a newly promoted side pretty much never works and gets you stuff like Burnley this season.

I think he'd be wise to go to Brighton. Good structure, good foundation of a squad with bright young players that are all used to playing modern stuff in the PL already. If he can get them into Europa it would be a great move.

Yeah less pressure at Brighton for sure. Will also be playing once a week again and plenty of good young players there to develop.

Steve Cooper imo would be a good pick for Brighton. He was at Swansea like Potter, managed England at under 20 level and has had 18 months in the premier league now so would be surprised if he isn't interviewed given his availability. Also won't have ten new players dropped on him every six months like at Forest so I think he'd excel in a stable environment.
 
The more I think about it, he could just demand a 10 million sacking clause in his Chelsea contract and be set for life when it eventually happens in 8-12 months time.
 
He won't end up at Chelsea imo. The club is in a bad state for some time now, fans are on their heels and would be all over him (and the owners) after few bed results. Don't believe there is actual interest from either side.
It would be managerial suicide if he goes to Chelsea. He seems like a well grounded guy and I reckon he’ll stay at Ipswich
 
He'll likely get sacked at either job within the next 3 years anyway.

Promoted clubs never stick with the manager who brings them up if they don't excel in the league, no explanation needed for why I think he won't last at Chelsea.

He may as well go to Chelsea and get that massive payout.
Even if he does well, he might very well get sacked anyway.

Just look at Bournemouth and Gary O'Neil.
 
Never forget, this was the guy letting Solskjaer down
clearly wasn’t. Carrick wasn’t either, players did follow his instructions. Then Ronaldo happened and the style of play went out the window.
 
It would be managerial suicide if he goes to Chelsea. He seems like a well grounded guy and I reckon he’ll stay at Ipswich

Chelsea is in such a weird spot. They are primed for someone LIKE McKenna but all signs point to them wanting results quickly, yet their entire recruitment has been buying wonderkids that need time to develop/acclimate
 
If as it seems that ineos want to move united forward with young players and move on the likes of casimero, varane, bruno, then long term you could see why mckenna would be a good pick considering his history at the club and character which is the opposite of a ten hag, mourinho or tuchel when it comes to clashing with players
 
People make too much of assistant coaches being responsible for our play.

Here is Mou's thoughts on assistants
"Good coaches there are many, but I like to make my assistants.

"I do not like trained coaches, I like to shape them in my way of thinking and they grow with me and I also grow with them. "

Assistant coaches need to work within what the manager wants. The manager wants to play a certain way, and the assistant tries to work with that and squeeze out as much efficiency as possible. Sometimes, you have cases like Fergie that wanted to be more defensively solid than before, and what not. Still, the assistants still have to work within the confines of what the manager wants.

How can you look at McKenna's Ipswich and think he's the one directly responsible for Ole's team? There are clear differences now that he has more authority.
 
Yes defence is weak but I think they'll have a decent goal threat so that could get them a few early wins as a few teams will likely underestimate them when they look at the teamsheet. Certainly need a steady experienced keeper on loan looking at some of the goals Hladky was letting in the run in.

Need to get Hutchinson in from Chelsea on at least another season long loan.

Keep them up and then leave I think. He'll also still be in demand even if they get narrowly relegated.

I think it's possible they stay up. When Sheffield United came up in 2019 they had similar momentum to Ipswich with two quick promotions. Wasn't much prem experience in that squad but they all knew the system under WIlder and just had that winning culture and it translated to the premier league for six months.
Why is Chris Wilder not part of the manager for next season vote?
 
He's an absolute idiot if he willingly joins the Chelsea circus.
Him working for Chelsea would be life changing money. And if you fail at the top end, you'll still be able to get the jobs just below that. If you fail at a midtable club, you won't get the big payday a top club gives for a while if ever.
 
Imagine if he goes to Chelsea and becomes a smashing success there for years. Urgh.
 
For a championship manager and a young one at that, when a big club like Chelsea come calling you just can't say no. It's once in a lifetime opportunity. You never know if you will have another opportunity like this in future. Football changes very fast.

Even if he failed at Chelsea, he will be set for life with the money. Also, there will be lots of opportunities below Chelsea's tier if he failed. If the choice is between Brighton and Chelsea it's a no brainer.

If he succeed at Chelsea, it will propel him to world class tier. Club like RM, BM, Man Utd and etc will be looking to appoint him.

What's there to lose?
 
For a championship manager and a young one at that, when a big club like Chelsea come calling you just can't say no. It's once in a lifetime opportunity. You never know if you will have another opportunity like this in future. Football changes very fast.

Even if he failed at Chelsea, he will be set for life with the money. Also, there will be lots of opportunities below Chelsea's tier if he failed. If the choice is between Brighton and Chelsea it's a no brainer.

If he succeed at Chelsea, it will propel him to world class tier. Club like RM, BM, Man Utd and etc will be looking to appoint him.

What's there to lose?
If succeeds at building a great team at Chelsea then he may not want to move to those clubs. We should not assume he’s indebted or tied to us in any way.
 
Would be pissed if he goes to Chelsea and we decide to go with Poch or continue with Ten Hag.
 
He’d be a good long term option for United. He would be for Chelsea, too. Ten Hag and Poch are good managers that will likely never be elite given their age and experience, someone like McKenna has achieved a lot at a young age.
 
I still feel like it’s a season or two too soon for us and I’d like to see how he gets on at the top level.
Ideally he’d go to Brighton and smash it before coming back to United.
 
All this talk of him needing to go to Brighton first to acclimatise to the PL. He's done it all already, albeit out of the limelight, during his time here. We should just sign him, much rather that than him going to Chelsea and we end up with Pochettino.
 
hope he stays at Ipswich this season and we send him a few players on loan
 
They have one of the most expensive young squads in history primed for the right style of play and someone who can bring them together. I think he’d be foolish to turn them down even if it is a massive risk

I don't think it's even that big a risk. Which manager has walked out of Chelsea with their reputation sullied? Jose got the United job, Tuchel got the Bayern job, Potter was offered Ajax which he rejected and will probably get a better one.

If he can make them play good football while winning stuff he'll be hero or he failed at a club where the upper management is a mess.
 
We shouldn't rewrite history just because he's the flavour of the moment, he failed at United once already. He needs to go to another club and succeed there before he comes back here. He should go to Brighton.
 
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