Kieran McKenna

Kieran McKenna (born 14 May 1986) is a Northern Irish professional football manager and former player, who is currently the manager of EFL Championship side Ipswich Town.

McKenna began his footballing career as a youth team player at Northern Irish sides Enniskillen Town United and Ballinamallard United.

He joined Tottenham Hotspur as a youth player in 2002, after signing a scholarship contract with Spurs.

Born in London, England, McKenna represented the Northern Ireland national team at under-19 and under-21 level.

He was made captain of Northern Ireland’s under-19s side at the 2005 UEFA European Under-19 Championship by coach Mal Donaghy.

After retiring from playing, McKenna started his career in coaching whilst studying a degree in Sports Science at Loughborough University.

During his time studying, McKenna spent time as a youth coach at Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, and Canadian side Vancouver Whitecaps.

Upon graduating from Loughborough University, McKenna was hired as the Head of Academy Performance Analysis at Tottenham Hotspur.

McKenna was offered the role of Academy Coach at Liverpool, but remained at Spurs, coaching various age groups at the Tottenham Academy set-up, before being placed in charge of Tottenham Hotspur's under-18s side.

In 2009, at the age of 22, McKenna retired from playing due to an ongoing hip injury which prevented him from making a senior first-team appearance for Tottenham.

McKenna was a youth footballer at Tottenham Hotspur, before ending his playing career in 2009 due to a hip injury.

McKenna went through two years of rehabilitation and had two operations before confirming his decision to retire.

Prior to joining Tottenham, McKenna played for Enniskillen Town United and Ballinamallard United.

He also represented Northern Ireland at both under-19 and under-21 level, of which McKenna represented his country in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers.

Despite the improvement in form, Ipswich were unable to make up the ground required to reach the League One play-offs, eventually finishing in 11th place in League One.

Ipswich ended the 2021–22 season with a 4–0 home win against Charlton Athletic on 30 April.

During the 2022–23 season, McKenna was awarded the EFL League One Manager of the Month award for March 2023 as his side maintained their automatic promotion push.

On 29 April 2023, Ipswich secured promotion to the EFL Championship after beating Exeter City 6–0 at home.

He was later awarded the Manager of the Month award for April.

Ipswich finished the season in second place in League One to gain automatic promotion to the EFL Championship, following a 19-game unbeaten run.

At the end of the 2022–23 season, McKenna signed a new four-year contract, extending his stay at Portman Road until 2027.

Ipswich started the 2023–24 season in impressive fashion following their return to the EFL Championship, following a run of four wins and a draw, this saw McKenna pick up the EFL Championship Manager of the Month award for September.

Following retirement, McKenna began coaching within the Tottenham Hotspur academy, progressing to become the club's under-18s manager in 2015.

During his tenure at Tottenham, McKenna guided the under-18s to the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup in 2015.

In 2016, he departed Tottenham for the under-18s manager position at Manchester United.

In August 2016, McKenna left his role at Tottenham to join the academy set-up at Manchester United, becoming the club's under-18s manager.

In his second season in charge of the under-18s, McKenna guided Manchester United to the Premier League Northern Division title.

Prior to the 2018–19 season, McKenna was promoted to the first-team coaching staff at Manchester United to become assistant manager under José Mourinho.

He worked with the first-team coaching staff at Manchester United until December 2021, when he left to become manager of Ipswich Town.

In his first full season at Ipswich Town, McKenna achieved promotion to the EFL Championship.

Along with former United player Michael Carrick, McKenna was promoted to the first-team coaching staff and replaced Rui Faria as José Mourinho's assistant manager, ahead of the 2018–19 Premier League season.

Following a poor start to the 2018–19 season, Mourinho left United on 18 December 2018, and was replaced the next day by former United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who was appointed as caretaker manager, and retained both McKenna and Carrick in their coaching positions.

McKenna was retained in his role by Interim Manager Ralf Rangnick following Solskjær’s departure as United manager in November 2021.

On 16 December 2021, McKenna was appointed as manager of then-League One club Ipswich Town, signing a three-and-a-half year contract.

He officially took charge on 20 December, alongside his assistant Martyn Pert.

McKenna’s first game in charge of Ipswich saw his side win 1–0 against Wycombe Wanderers at Portman Road.

McKenna's first away game in charge was a 4–0 win against Gillingham.

McKenna's arrival saw a quick upturn in Ipswich's form, with the team's results and performances much improved.

Ipswich won seven of McKenna's first 10 games in charge, keeping seven clean sheets in the process.

Under McKenna, Ipswich went 11 matches unbeaten through February and March of 2022, including setting a new club record for not conceding a goal, surpassing the previous record of 547 minutes.