Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at West Brom marked Kieran McKenna’s 100th game in charge of Ipswich Town. Stuart Watson reflects on his outstanding tenure so far.
THE JOURNEY
Rewind to December 2021. Ipswich, in their third season of third-tier football, were floundering 12th in the League One table.
The Blues’ new ambitious American owners had shown what their ‘healthy impatience for success’ looked like when sacking Paul Cook just three months after a summer transfer window that had seen him sign 19 different players.
A Papa John’s Trophy exit to Arsenal U21s and goalless home draw with Barrow in the FA Cup proved the final nail in the coffin for the heart-on-his-sleeve Liverpudlian. A newly-formed group of players whose heads were all over the place then went on to lose 2-0 at Charlton, a night in which supporters voiced their fury, before suffering an embarrassing replay defeat at Barrow. It was a mess.
It would have been easy for the club to look for a tried and trusted quick fix appointment. Instead, chief executive Mark Ashton – who had given the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Aidy Boothroyd their first big jobs at Watford – turned to 35-year-old Manchester United assistant boss Kieran McKenna.
His calm and confident demeanour immediately impressed. A string of narrow clean sheet victories and clear playing identity in the making saw the Blues flirt with a late play-off push. Too many draws meant that gap could never quite be closed though. Town ultimately finished 11th – 13 points adrift of sixth and a massive 20 off of second. That showed the size of the task in hand.
The Northern Irishman’s first full season as a senior manager started well before results tailed off over the winter period. A quartet of January signings then took performances to a new level and a storming finish saw automatic promotion secured with 98 points.
Momentum was carried into this season. As it stands, the newly-promoted Blues sit second in the Championship table as the halfway point of the campaign fast approaches. Ipswich are back in the national consciousness.
THE NUMBERS
McKenna’s 100-game record across all competitions reads a staggering: W58 D27 L15 F194 A84 GD: +110.
That works out at an average of two goals a game scored and just three defeats in every 20.
There have been only three home league defeats across 42 matches during his tenure – Cambridge (0-1), Lincoln (0-1) and Leeds (3-4).
For context, McKenna beats every previous Town boss for the most wins, fewest defeats, fewest goals conceded, most clean sheets and average home attendance registered inside their opening 100 games.
McKenna has already overseen more wins (58) than Jim Magilton (56 in 148) and Paul Lambert (37 in 113) did over more matches in charge.
💯 Tomorrow Kieran McKenna takes charge of Ipswich Town for the 100th time.
📈 Here are my ‘Power Rankings’ based on how the 13 #ITFC managers that reached the century mark, performed over their first 100 games.
1️⃣ McKenna takes first spot ahead of Sir Alf Ramsey. pic.twitter.com/RCaRWFe9oP
— Renegade Statman Ⓜ️ (@CallMeStat) November 24, 2023
PLAYER STATS
McKenna has used 51 different players over his 100 games. There have been 45 different starters, with 27 of them getting into double digits for starts.
His top-10 most started players are: Luke Woolfenden (85), Sam Morsy (83), Wes Burns (76), Conor Chaplin (75), Christian Walton (70), Leif Davis (62), Janoi Donacien (59), Cameron Burgess (57), George Edmundson (41) and Lee Evans (34).
The fact that nine of those players are ones he inherited speaks volumes about his ability to improve what he’s got as a coach. Centre-back Burgess, who's enjoyed a remarkable transformation into an Australian international, has to go down as the most improved.
There have been 31 different goalscorers during McKenna's tenure so far. The five to have reached double digits are: Chaplin (40), Ladapo (25), Burns (19), Broadhead (14), Harness (12) and Hirst (11).
TACTICAL APPROACH
McKenna has delivered on his promise that the football philosophy would be 'positive, aggressive, balanced and adaptable’.
It's clear to see that patterns of play are well-drilled on the training pitch. The cut-back into the heart of the box has been a calling card.
There have been vast improvements at set-plays - something that was highlighted as an area of weakness very early on.
Clever horses-for-courses team selections have been articulately explained, bringing supporters along on the journey. Players talk about knowing exactly what the opposition are going to do thanks to meticulous planning.
What started out as a back three system switched to a bespoke 4-2-3-1 once Davis' lungs were added. More recently, there's been a tactical evolution from possession-bossing side to rapid attackers after stepping up a level. A press-baiting build from the back, starting with the goalkeeper, has become a big feature.
Substitutes have regularly made an impact, with everyone in the squad seemingly buying into a 'we before me' ethos.
TRANSFER MARKET
McKenna has had four transfer windows so far. He has based his recruitment around bringing ‘young, hungry, technical and athletic’ players to the club.
Putting aside squad goalkeepers Nick Hayes, Joel Coleman and Cieran Slicker, he’s signed 22 first team players so far.
Half of those additions have come in on frees, loans or for nominal fees. The biggest spends have been on Nathan Broadhead (£1.5m, Everton), George Hirst (£1.5m, Leicester), Jack Taylor (£1.5m, Peterborough), Leif Davis (£1.2m, Leeds), Harry Clarke (£1m, Arsenal), Marcus Harness (£750k, Portsmouth) and Panutche Camara (£500k, Charlton).
Davis has to go down as the best recruit so far. Eyebrows were raised when that sort of money was paid out for a left-back in League One, but the 23-year-old assist machine looks a Premier League player – potentially even England international – in the making.
Only Camara and Gassan Ahadme, who have both been unfortunate with injuries, can be pegged as transfer flops so far.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
McKenna’s second game in charge – a swashbuckling 4-0 win at Gillingham – showed how quickly he could get his ideas across and whetted the appetite as to the brand of football ahead.
The heartbreaking late equaliser conceded at Oxford United, in March 2022, was the day the play-off dream died and provided a reminder of the work ahead.
Who can forget that crazy 4-4 draw at Charlton in October 2022? Town scored twice in stoppage-time to go 4-2 up, but somehow still only ended up with a point. A lot of lessons were learnt about game management that day.
The topsy-turvy battles with promotion rivals Sheffield Wednesday (both ended 2-2) and Plymouth (which both had late drama) also stick in the mind from last season.
The two FA Cup third round matches against Burnley may not have huge emotion attached to them, but matching the Championship winners elect over 180+ minutes was a significant moment.
Then take your pick from some of the games that led to promotion. There’s 2-0 at Bolton, 2-0 at Derby, 3-0 at Peterborough and 3-0 at Barnsley, followed by the day promotion was secured in style with a 6-0 thrashing of Exeter at Portman Road. What a ride those few weeks were.
Bogey sides have been vanquished, the Sky TV ‘curse’ has been exorcised and we've even had a little cup run. Town have repeatedly come from behind too, really buying into the club’s ‘running towards adversity’ mantra.
McKenna vowed to ‘attack’ the Championship. Town’s last nine home results read: 3-4, 3-2, 4-3, 3-2, 3-0, 4-2, 3-2, 1-3, 3-2. It’s rarely been dull!
WHAT HE SAID
Asked about his 100-game milestone, McKenna said: “It's not something that I spend a lot of time reflecting on, but of course I'm very proud to be the manager of this football club.
“I'll always say it's a great honour to be manager at this football club with the history and tradition and the supporter base and some of the people who have been in this position before me.
“It’s something that I think way in the future I'll look back on with great pride and hopefully I’ll look back on many more good games as well.”
WHAT PLAYERS/STAFF HAVE SAID
Blues skipper Sam Morsy said: "I don’t see any weaknesses in him. Probably the best bit about him was when things weren’t quite going well, how he handled those situations. I think he’s improved every player. He’s a very clever, articulate man.”
Conor Chaplin said: “I can’t speak highly enough of the boss. His attention to detail is great and all of our sessions are put on to replicate game situations and intensity as well as tactical things for the games. Everything he does has a hidden meaning or a message that maybe you might not think about until after the game.”
Kayden Jackson said: “He empowers you. Other managers in the past have concentrated on what I can’t do, rather than what I can do. He’s told me there aren’t many better in the league at playing on the shoulder and getting in behind.”
Vaclav Hladky said: “Kieran McKenna and his staff coming in was the turning point for me mentally. Everything changed when they arrived. They just create an environment here where all the squad – all 25 players – are enjoying their role. Even if people are not playing regularly, they are happy here."
Luke Woolfenden said: "Kieran has been at the biggest club in England and one that is definitely in the top three biggest clubs in the world, so I've been picking his brains about that. Knowing how the top athletes live and work will be good for me and everyone else at the club."
Chief executive Mark Ashton said: “I didn’t interview Kieran on his technical and tactical ability. We’d done our homework and knew what he could do. It was more about values. His integrity, his hard work, his honesty – the way he approaches work every single day matches the values of mine, the ownership group and the leadership group at this football club. That’s key.”
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