Town CEO Mark Ashton says extending manager Kieran McKenna’s contract will “take care of itself at the right time” but wants the Northern Irishman to remain at Portman Road for the “foreseeable future”.

McKenna, 36, was appointed Blues boss in December 2021 on a three-and-a-half-year deal and has been a big success with Town currently third in League One only three points off the top two with nine matches left to play.

Speaking to TWTD as part of a lengthy interview we’ve been running over a number of parts since the end of last week, Ashton was asked whether there had been any talks regarding extending the Northern Irishman’s Town terms.

“I think we all want to see Kieran here for the foreseeable future,” he said. “He’s happy, he’s got a job to do.

“We don’t really talk about it. That will take care of itself at the right time. But I think one of our biggest strengths is our stability.

“I think you’ve seen me now, I’m not wild in my decision-making, we’re processed, we try and be methodical.

“That steady calmness of the overall club is key and I think if you look at both the Championship and the Premier League this year, they’ve been wilder than I can remember, wilder than I have ever seen before.

“There are a number of clubs who have appointed two managers in quick succession. Are they appointing a young manager? Are they appointing a coach? Are they appointing a more senior manager? What’s the DNA of the football club?

“And I think as a manager, and I’m not talking about Kieran specifically, just a manager, sometimes it’s not about the club, it’s about the people. And I think here, you’ve got a blend of both.

“You’ve got an incredibly historic, big, passionate football club with solid rock steady people, who are going to steer a steady ship and give the manager, as I say to Kieran, the oxygen to do his job.

“I’m not at the training ground every day. He never gets a conversation with me about picking the team, it’s his domain.

“I know what my role is, he knows what his role is and we work professionally together to get the best from the football club, that’s exactly the way it should be.

“He doesn’t need me watching training every day, although he happily says to come and watch. But I’ve got all this to do. We’ve got professionals there to support each other. I’d like to see him and his staff here for the long term.”

The Mark Ashton Interview

• Ashton Open to Debate on UEFA Article 48
• Championship a Natural Fit For the Tractor Girls
• New Pitch is On Track
• Work to Continue on Playford Road Pitches and Building
• We're Working on Development Master Plan With Local Authority
• We'll Forge an Informal Link With Rhode Island
• Kit Sales a Sign of How Big This Club Could Become
• McKenna's Contract Will Take Care of Itself at the Right Time
• Contract Conversations in the Summer
• First Summer Recruitment Meeting With McKenna Took Place This Week
• We Knew Our Top Targets and Got Them Across the Line
• Away Fans to Remain in Cobbold Stand Next Season But Discussions Ongoing
• I Wanted to Be Respectful to Fans on Season Ticket Prices
• No Explanation From Jamaica on Leigh
• We Will Be Relentless in Taking This Club Forward

Photo: Matchday Images

MickMillsTash added 15:48 - Mar 27 Despite being in Div 3 McKenna must be on everyones Radar and he's ambitious - I sense like me he may not want to be going back to Fleetwood etc next year. A contract will not be keeping him at Portman Road if the right offer from higher up the leagues comes in and he wants to take it up. Ashton strikes me that he will have a plan whatever happens. Lets go up, have a party and minimise the risk of losing him.

1

Bazza8564 added 15:51 - Mar 27 Yet another wonderful example of how MA approaches business, no fuss no panic, all structured. With KM's deal running for another two years, and the inevitable structure within it to reward his success with promotion, its likely that extensions are already included in that deal. Mark isnt going to specify that, but both he and Kiaran will have worked very hard on the details from both sides to reward success with longer terms and better rewards. We have the best people running the club, and I genuinely think they know when they are appreciated and in the right place. COYB

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carlo88 added 15:56 - Mar 27 I know there's always been a lot of negative comments about MA from Watford and Bristol City fans but he doesn't seem to have done much wrong here does he (apart from maybe that goal celebration).
6

muhrensleftfoot added 16:27 - Mar 27 I can't see McKenna moving on for a while yet. Firstly he's not achieved anything yet, although I surely hope he will this season. Secondly he also knows he's got a great and stable organisation behind him. Also as a League One manager currently, I don't think any Premier League clubs will be trying to poach him just yet.
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LegendofthePhoenix added 16:48 - Mar 27 Agree with muhrensleftfoot. This is a perfect situation for both parties - ITFC and KMcK. Kieran hasn't achieved anything in management yet (apart from playing lovely football). He has to build his c.v. as a manager. And the best way to do that is to get us promoted. We are already bigger than most of the teams in the Championship, and Kieran is smart enough to know that he'd be worse of leaving this place where he has a great team around him and importantly a great CEO who trusts and values him, for an unknown situation in the league above. And in any case, we will probably be in the Championship next season. If not, Kieran still has something to prove first. The time when we might be at risk of losing Kieran is if we get to the Premier League and do well there as well. That is when a big fish might come sniffing around. But that is a few years away.

6

ArnieM added 17:02 - Mar 27 ….. now I'm getting nervous!
0

Beattiesballbag added 17:32 - Mar 27 Don't think there is any concern that he could be tempted elsewhere, If we don't go up he will still want to prove himself, if we are successful in returning to the top flight again & our crowds return to in-excess of 30000, new ground etc. Then I'm sure financially he wont need to leave us & it would be a bigger feather in his cap if he can return us to competing with the bigger clubs once more.

2

Hipsterectomy added 17:44 - Mar 27 sounds like he's leaving in the summer from those comments :(
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Stato added 19:08 - Mar 27 I'm in the ranks of those who think we are really lucky to have Ashton.
2

Saxonblue74 added 19:18 - Mar 27 As much as I like McKenna and think he's doing a great job, he's achieved nothing to date. He has a league 1 club with a huge budget. I do believe he'll go on to achieve great things (hopefully with us) but for now he's ours!
2

Karlosfandangal added 20:19 - Mar 27 I remember Sir Bobby Robson saying when he took the England job, it was the only job he would leave Town for and it was still a heart renching decision. He turned down Barcelona to stay at town. He was happy and given time to build a team and left alone to do a job. Different times and different era but the principle is just the same today. KMK will be at Town for at least 5 years he will only leave if he feels he can take Town no further.

4

BurleysGloryDays added 20:58 - Mar 27 Kieran will take us all the way to the Prem and establish us there. He has said many times, he chose this job carefully. 30k adoring fans will only cement that he got his decision bang on. KMK is cut from different cloth, we have ourselves a new hero and he'll be part of our fabric til he's an old man.
2

BobbyBell added 09:52 - Mar 28 Kieran is still young and has a huge future ahead of him. I don't see him as a man in a mad rush to get to the top but he will get there. He has everything he wants here and a coaching structure built around him. Many a manager will be envying his position here as he is so well respected and looked after by the club.
1

PortmanTerrorist added 10:44 - Mar 28 From Kieran's perspective: how many bigger Clubs are there out there wanting him, who have any kind of stability, and who have the investment that makes progress from their current position possible and allow his stock to rise further? He has all that here and a patient Board to boot. From Ashton/Club Perspective: Keiran is doing a good job considering he is inevitably learning on the job, making mistakes here and there, and has undeniably exceptional coaching talents. Investing in Kieran was a big leap of faith and they will want to see it through, but rest Assured Mr Ashton has names lined up in case a replacement is required at short notice.....cos we are run properly these days! How we are run is pivotal to success, and that will not change regardless....and if you want an example of a Club losing sight of what made it successful recently (albeit no trophies), then look up the A140. Just from managerial appointments you can see they are lurching, hoping to get lucky, rather than having an overarching strategy. It will be OUR time again soon and not theirs as a result. Think Kieran knows that and believes he can make it happen! So do I

2

dirtydingusmagee added 11:05 - Mar 28 Karlos , i hope you are right.The club is in a good place now , all has improved, Long may it last .
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blues1 added 12:23 - Mar 28 MickMillsTash. Mckenna won't be going anywhere regardless of whether we go up or not. He's made it clear that he came here bcse it was a project that suits him. So, unless at any point he feels he,cant take the club any further, he'll stay here.
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blues1 added 12:25 - Mar 28 Hipsterectomy. What part of " his contract will take care of itself when the time is right", or" we want him to be here for years yet", suggests he's leaving in the summer?
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Karlosfandangal added 18:48 - Mar 28 Dirty So do I
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