Kieran McKenna has been officially named as Ipswich Town’s new manager.
The 35-year-old Northern Irishman, who was a first-team coach at Premier League powerhouse Manchester United, has agreed to a three-and-a-half-year contract.
McKenna remained at Old Trafford as a member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching staff following the Norwegian’s November dismissal.
Though he left with Rangnick’s approval, it’s said that new temporary CEO Ralf Rangnick was enjoying working with him.
Paul Cook, who was fired by Town earlier this month, is replaced by McKenna.
Martyn Pert, who also switched from United, will support him.
Earlier this month, Paul Cook was fired.
Give credit: PA
“Leaving a club like Manchester United was obviously a difficult decision, but I strongly believe in the opportunity to build something here,” McKenna stated.
“It seems like the ideal opportunity, objective, and club to take my first step toward managing a first team.
“For the time being, the team needs to concentrate on a critical game on Saturday. I can’t wait to meet everyone and start working after that.”
Before being formally announced on Monday, McKenna will witness Saturday’s match at Portman Road against Sunderland from the stands.
This will be his first managerial position, and he takes over an Ipswich club that hasn’t performed up to par this season.
Manchester United’s Kieran McKenna has resigned from his position.
Credit: Barrow, a struggling League Two team, eliminated PA Town from the FA Cup on Wednesday. Despite a summertime major investment in the playing roster from new American owners Gamechange 20 Ltd, the team is currently mid-table in League One.
“Kieran is a highly-respected young coach who has been working at the top level of English football and with one of the biggest clubs in world football for a number of years in Manchester United,” Mark Ashton, the club’s chief executive, said.
“He joins the team with a track record in the game and exciting ideas for how he wants to lead the group to success. We had a clear understanding of how we wanted to carry out this football club’s mission when we first met.”
Sports reporter Andy Ward of ITV News Anglia provides analysis.
One of the new players that Ipswich Town signed in the summer was Sone Aluko.
Give credit: PA
To be sure, Ipswich Town’s season has been terribly disappointing thus far, but might this be the turning point?
The arrival of 19 new players in the summer created considerable optimism, but for some reason, Paul Cook was unable to persuade his new-look team to perform well.
Ipswich has now resorted to a man who, although never having managed before, has a wealth of experience working at one of the largest football clubs in the world.
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