Michael Carrick continued his dream start as Manchester United interim manager with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday 1 February. The Englishman was appointed by the Red Devils earlier this month as a temporary replacement for former manager Ruben Amorim until the end of the season.
Carrick has been tasked with stabilizing the squad after a turbulent 14 months under the Portuguese manager, with a permanent manager expected to take over this summer. The Englishman has exceeded expectations, winning his first three games, including convincing wins against Manchester City and Arsenal.
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However, United are still searching for their next permanent manager, with several candidates already lined up. A report previously forwarded by The People revealed that Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is also in the running for the permanent position.
McKenna’s tryst with Manchester United
In 2016, McKenna resigned from the Tottenham Hotspur youth academy and became the head coach of the Manchester United U-18 team. The Northern Irishman impressed so much with his performances in the youth teams that former manager Jose Mourinho promoted him to the senior squad ahead of the 2018/19 season, working alongside Carrick as assistant coach.
McKenna served under Mourinho’s successor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and contributed to the club’s impressive run of results under the former Norway manager. McKenna took charge at Portman Road in November 2021, a month after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left Old Trafford, and has never looked back.
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He helped Ipswich win promotion to English football’s top flight in 2024, but they were relegated to the Championship last year. The Northern Irishman is targeting an immediate return to the Premier League, with his side currently fourth in the Championship table, seven points behind leaders Coventry with a game in hand.
Kieran McKenna Management Statistics
Source: Wikipedia.
With United yet to confirm their permanent manager, McKenna’s steady rise in Suffolk has reportedly captured the imagination of Old Trafford hierarchy. While his previous experience with Dream Theater may come in handy, now an update on the situation has emerged.
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Ipswich Town want him to stay
According to journalist Callum O’Connell, Ipswich Town believe McKenna will stay if they are able to return to the Premier League. He told Football Insider: “He was linked with Manchester United and Chelsea before signing a new contract at Ipswich just over a year ago.”
“He’s contracted at Portman Road until 2028 and he’s on a lucrative contract there as well, so if anyone wants to lure McKenna away, it’s going to be an expensive deal.”
“He wants to take Ipswich Town back to the Premier League and if he ends up doing that, I don’t think Ipswich would consider letting him leave. I’m sure McKenna would be happy to stay if he returned to the Premier League.”
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“Despite these links with other clubs, it just goes to show the great job he does and how highly regarded he is at Ipswich. I don’t think Ipswich have any plans to let McKenna leave now and they hope he can get them back to the Premier League after being relegated last season.”
final thoughts
McKenna is one of the most exciting young managers in the country, but his winning percentage in his one season with Ipswich Town in the Premier League was just 10.5%. As a result, Ineos may look to find a more established manager to take up the permanent role at Old Trafford.
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