Kieran McKenna Resigns as Ipswich Town Manager After Securing Premier League Promotion
Kieran McKenna has stepped down as Ipswich Town manager, just weeks after guiding the club to a second-place Championship finish and a return to the Premier League for the 2026-27 season. The 40-year-old, who took charge in December 2021 when Ipswich were in League One, oversaw three promotions in four seasons including two top-flight returns. His departure marks the end of one of the most successful managerial tenures in the club's recent history, with McKenna citing a desire to rest and spend more time with his family.
Kieran McKenna has resigned as Ipswich Town manager after five seasons, the club confirmed on Wednesday, departing approximately one month after securing promotion to the Premier League via a second-place Championship finish in May 2025. The 40-year-old took charge in December 2021 with the club in League One and delivered three promotions in four years, including two separate promotions to the Premier League. McKenna, who previously worked as a youth coach at Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United before serving as a first-team coach under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick, cited exhaustion and a wish to dedicate more time to his family as the reasons for his exit. He had been linked with the vacant Fulham managerial position following Marco Silva's departure, but confirmed his decision was driven by personal rather than professional reasons. Former Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O'Neil, currently managing Strasbourg, has been identified as one candidate in the frame to succeed McKenna at Portman Road. Ipswich are described as open-minded about their next appointment. McKenna leaves the club well-positioned for their return to the top flight, having transformed them from a League One side into a Premier League outfit over the course of his tenure.
What's missing
Neither source specifies the financial terms of McKenna's departure, including whether any compensation or settlement was agreed upon. The timeline for appointing a successor and whether formal talks with Gary O'Neil or other candidates have begun is also unconfirmed.
What different sources said
- Channel NewsAsiaCenter
McKenna set to leave Ipswich a month after securing Premier League promotion
- BBC Top StoriesCenter
McKenna steps down as Ipswich boss
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