Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has outlined the three key ingredients that he believes are going to be required for Championship success.
The Blues are preparing for life back in the second-tier following a four-year absence, McKenna having guided the team to League One automatic promotion in his first full season of senior management.
Fresh from signing a new four-year contract, the 37-year-old former Manchester United assistant boss was asked what he thinks is going to be required for the club to keep its positive momentum going in 2023/24.
"The first thing is a sense of humility," he replied.
"We were a really dominant team in League One, both in terms of performances and points, so there’s an expectation, externally, that we can go into the next league and be competitive. Of course that’s what we want to do, but we have to be humble and know that we’re going to have to work harder again.
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“The second thing is we have to be brave in terms of how we go and attack the games. We’ve built a really positive and dominant playing style and we want to continue with that.
"We know there’s going to be different challenges every week, but we want to continue in the mode we have of building an Ipswich team that plays on the front foot, that plays aggressive, fast, attacking football and that defends in an aggressive, unified manner. It’s about building a team that goes and attacks every game, that tries to win every game and is one that the supporters can really get behind.
“We have to continue that because that’s part of what made us successful in the previous division and I believe that is what will ultimately make us successful in this division as well.
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“The third thing is we have to stick together. It was difficult being Ipswich Town in League One, there were disappointing days when things went against us, but everyone stuck together and when there were set-backs we didn’t let them last too long. We’re going to need that togetherness again, from the players, to the staff, to the supporters and the board.
“If we do those three things – if we’re humble, brave and together – then I’m not going to be putting any upper limits on what this club can achieve."
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