George Hirst says set-to-be relegated Ipswich Town will be out to ‘prove a point’ to rest of Premier League in their final five games, starting at Newcastle United
Kieran McKenna could join Brentford or Fulham as Ipswich exit close – sources
Fulham and Brentford could turn to Kieran McKenna if either club lose their managers this summer, sources have told Football Insider.
McKenna remains highly-rated in Premier League circles despite Ipswich’s impending relegation, and he could soon be set a new home regardless of the club having no plans for him to leave Portman Road.
The 38-year-old steering the Tractor Boys to back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League saw him attract interest from Manchester United and Chelsea last summer, but he stayed put.
Now, sources have told Football Insider that with the ongoing speculation surrounding Marco Silva and Thomas Frank’s futures at Fulham and Brentford respectively, both clubs have identified McKenna.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told Football Insider last month that Silva is a manager who would be well suited for Tottenham Hotspur, who look certain to part company with Ange Postecoglou.
Furthermore, Frank is also on Spurs’ radar after Football Insider revealed that Tottenham could trigger his release clause at Brentford, leaving both West London clubs potentially on the hunt for a new manager.
Ipswich doing ‘everything they can’ to keep Kieran McKenna
McKenna’s links to Manchester United and success at Ipswich have made his name an attractive one for Premier League clubs looking for new managers, with Fulham and Brentford being no exception.
With Tottenham likely to create a vacancy by opting for one of Frank, Silva or Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola this summer, Football Insider sources believe McKenna will be high on the lists of all three clubs.
However, sources have also told Football Insider that Ipswich see McKenna as the man to lead them back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, and won’t be letting him leave without a fight.
Kieran McKenna key to Ipswich promotion plans
Ipswich are powerless to prevent interest in McKenna and can only block approaches for him once they’re made, but it’s unclear how long they can keep hold of the highly-rated Northern Irishman.
With two promotions already under his belt, McKenna was the subject of an approach from Brighton last summer before he’d even managed a Premier League match, and other clubs are set to circle once more.
The sale of star striker Liam Delap is also set to dominate the headlines as Ipswich aim to rebuild and bounce straight back, but the most important figure is undoubtedly the man in the Portman Road dugout.
Ipswich fans slaughter Leif Davis as explosive Arsenal footage drops
Leif Davis’ “stupid” red card in Ipswich Town’s 4-0 loss to Arsenal is the final straw for many fans.
Kieran McKenna’s side are on the precipice of relegation to the Championship after being swept aside by the Champions League semi-finalists at Portman Road, with Arsenal unlucky not to double that margin.
The Gunners were 2-0 up and in cruise control before the half-hour mark had even passed in East Anglia, adding two more goals after the break having produced seven shots on target from 24 attempts in total.
Ipswich looked highly unlikely to turn things around before Davis’ dismissal, and though McKenna’s 10 men were able to limit Arsenal to just two more goals thereafter, their relegation is all-but confirmed.
