McKenna can pick next step as rivals battle for his services

Chelsea, United and Brighton target boss

- Nick Purewal

MEET England’s most coveted coach, the man endorsed by Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and one who can take his pick from Chelsea, Manchester United and Brighton this summer.

Kieran McKenna has enjoyed niche renown for years, but is about to be embedded in the British sporting consciousness. And if the 38-year-old from Fermanagh justifies the hype, he will be a household name in next to no time.

McKenna’s services have quickly become so sought after that all three of his main suitors know he could spurn them in favour of a rival. So while Chelsea, United and Brighton will all want to grill McKenna on what exactly he can do for them, all three will need to sell themselves in return.

Two-and-a-half years ago, McKenna had never managed a senior club. Then he landed at Ipswich and awoke a sleeping giant. Kick-starting the Tractor Boys with a 10-game winning streak in League One when taking the helm in late December 2021, the Suffolk club’s supporters must have felt all their Christmases had come at once.

McKenna eased his feet under the Portman Road table in the second half of that campaign, revamped the entire set-up, then spurred them on to promotion in his first full season. When everyone in Ipswich was just after a fight for Championship survival a year later, McKenna took them up again.