Ipswich face Kieran McKenna exit drama as sack talks begin elsewhere
Ipswich Town could be about to see their push for an immediate return to the Premier League hit with a major blow.
The Tractor Boys are currently enjoying a run of just two defeats from their last 11 games, and that has seen them climb up to fifth in the Championship table after an initially slow start to the campaign.
Ipswich are targeting an immediate return to the Premier League after they ultimately fell straight out of the top-flight last season, despite a valiant effort to beat the drop.
Kieran McKenna has been subject to plenty of praise in recent years after he led the Suffolk outfit to back-to-back promotions in order to reach the promised land, but that comes with some potentially serious consequences.
Imminent Celtic sacking to spark Kieran McKenna links again
McKenna’s excellent work at Ipswich has unsurprisingly sparked interest from elsewhere on several occasions since he took on the job at Portman Road.
Celtic were the latest club to show a significant interest in the Northern Irishman, and they established him as one of their priority targets to take the reins and bring an end to Martin O’Neill’s tenure as interim boss.
The Glasgow giants ultimately opted to appoint Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy, who has since endured a disastrous start, losing all four of his opening games in charge.
Celtic fans have quickly shown their discontent towards the 48-year-old, and the board have now followed, with talks underway regarding his potential dismissal on Thursday, according to journalist Peter Martin via his X account.
That bombshell could have serious ramifications across British football if Nancy is shown the door in the coming days, not least at Ipswich, where interest in McKenna is bound to spike again.
The Bhoys opted against truly pursuing a move for him last time, but if they take their interest one step further this time around, then Ipswich may find themselves powerless to stand in his way.
McKenna’s previous comments show admiration for Celtic
Football Insider revealed at the start of November that McKenna was “very interested” in taking the Celtic job, amid the links that he could be set to replace Brendan Rodgers.
The Glasgow giants ultimately never made a move for the 39-year-old, but they should have been given enough indications to suggest that he’d take the job if it was offered to him.
McKenna is said to have grown up as a Celtic fan, and suggested that “we all have our affinities” when he was previously pressed on that subject, according to STV Sport.
He also unsurprisingly branded them as a “really big football club,” and while there have been no outright suggestions that he would leave Ipswich to take the job, his comments certainly give off that tone.
With that in mind, Ipswich and their fans have every right to be concerned, given the events that look set to unfold at Parkhead.