Kieran McKenna is being courted by Brighton, Chelsea and Manchester United after working wonders at Ipswich Town – and he now has a big decision to make ahead of the new season
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna faces the biggest decision of his career.
Whether to stick or twist. The 38-year-old is now at the centre of a tug-of-war between Brighton, Chelsea and even Manchester United are watching developments.
But Ipswich are also desperate to keep the brilliant young coach who has led them through back-to-back promotions from League One, through the Championship and into the Premier League.
McKenna knows he may never get this opportunity again. If he sticks at Ipswich for a season, they struggle and go back down then where does that leave him?
You could look at Vincent Kompany and the job he has done at Burnley. He built an incredible reputation when he took Burnley up and was suddenly on the radar of Chelsea and Tottenham as they looked for new managers last summer.
Instead, Kompany stuck with Burnley, they spent a lot of money and yet still went down without so much of a whimper and now his stock is definitely not as high as it was.
That is the risk you take because reputations can quickly unravel if you make the wrong career move. And equally, you have to know when to get out. Kompany did the honourable thing and stayed at Burnley but now do they stick with him? Loyalty is often a stick they beat you with.
It can still work as Eddie Howe led Bournemouth into the Premier League, kept them up, then quit after they were eventually relegated – and still got the Newcastle job where his reputation has only been enhanced.
But McKenna is a target for Brighton, Chelsea and the rest because his stock is high. He has built an exciting team at Ipswich, taken basically the same group of players through two divisions and is regarded as a coach who delivers attractive football.
Ipswich will try anything to keep him – he’s the reason why they are back in the top flight for the first time in 22 years. They would love him to give it another year at least.
But Brighton want him. Their owner Tony Bloom and the whole club set-up offers stability and a great opportunity to establish himself as a Premier League boss.
Bloom is fiercely ambitious but is also creative and well researched when it comes to recruiting managers. He also sells the club to them and is very persuasive.
What is less stable is Chelsea. If they really go for McKenna, go all out to get him then it would be on a huge contract, working at a huge club with European potential and a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Of course there are dangers – but it is a big chance. Plus United where he has worked, knows the club inside out and yet also probably knows the fans want a big name, no matter what Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dave Brailsford think.
McKenna was at the League Managers’ Association awards night on Tuesday and won both the Championship gong and the overall Manager of the Year award. He got the big prize from Alex Ferguson who he thanked for guiding him on his 16 year coaching journey.
He spoke with maturity, authority and ambition. It was the talk of the whole room about what McKenna’s next move would be. Whether he would stick or twist.
If he makes the wrong move this summer then you can bet that he will not be the centre of attention at next year’s dinner. How he needs Fergie’s advice now…
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