| McKenna’s Best Presser 12:32 - Feb 6 with 3377 views | itfcsuth |
For the first time I can recall in a KMc interview, came across like a frustrated manager with certain things at the club, particularly around recruitment - has somewhat distanced himself from some of the recruitment decision making, and it gives the clarity that his job is very much on field matters.
It feels to me that he has been give certain tools, maybe not all the tools he has wanted or needed and is working his wand to make us as successful as possible.
Has given me a slightly different perspective on things at the football club. Never have I ever wanted KMc to leave this club, and I never do (although the day will come), but I have a newfound level of admiration for what he is wanting to achieve with the tools he has been given, and I have a newfound level of support for him to do so.
KMc, you still are the god like guru, even in fans frustrations, nobody with half a brain ever wants you to leave this football club, nobody is as important to this football club as Kieran McKenna.
COYFB! [Post edited 6 Feb 12:36]
|  | | |  |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:45 - Feb 6 with 2959 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
Tools he has been given?
Pretty much the best squad in the league.
I'm not criticising him in any way, but 99% of managers in this league would LOVE to have his squad / budget. |  |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:45 - Feb 6 with 2978 views | SitfcB |
It could’ve been a bit of a hit back to the ‘McKenna didn’t fancy any of them’ claims as well. [Post edited 6 Feb 12:46]
|  |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:54 - Feb 6 with 2846 views | WestSussexBlue |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:45 - Feb 6 by Marshalls_Mullet |
Tools he has been given?
Pretty much the best squad in the league.
I'm not criticising him in any way, but 99% of managers in this league would LOVE to have his squad / budget. |
99% of managers in this league however are not working under the same levels of pressure or expectation. As well as on the playing field, there are massive plans for this football club as a whole. It sounds like for the first time, KMc is feeling the pressure and is looking more than ever for 100% backing from the hierarchy to achieve the short and long term goals. |  | | |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:55 - Feb 6 with 2844 views | BseaBlue |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:45 - Feb 6 by SitfcB |
It could’ve been a bit of a hit back to the ‘McKenna didn’t fancy any of them’ claims as well. [Post edited 6 Feb 12:46]
|
Certainly adds fuel to the fire that the club leaked that on purpose. |  | | |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:58 - Feb 6 with 2794 views | bartyg |
Not sure I'm quite on board- what do you think he's unhappy about r.e recruitment?
The two January additions are both very high value in my view, and all of the outgoings were to be expected. |  | | |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:59 - Feb 6 with 2790 views | Illinoisblue |
I think there’s been a couple times this season he’s sounded frustrated. Might just be him flexing his muscles a bit and feeling more comfortable about doing so.
Either way, a win tomorrow would be very very welcome. |  |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 13:07 - Feb 6 with 2671 views | Reuser_is_God |
I don’t think he’s at odds with the recruitment department, which is when we should worry.
He was full of praise for some of there work.
Nothing to see here for me. |  |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 13:48 - Feb 6 with 2410 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:54 - Feb 6 by WestSussexBlue |
99% of managers in this league however are not working under the same levels of pressure or expectation. As well as on the playing field, there are massive plans for this football club as a whole. It sounds like for the first time, KMc is feeling the pressure and is looking more than ever for 100% backing from the hierarchy to achieve the short and long term goals. |
99% of managers aren't being paid any where near as much as him. The pressure comes with the mahoooosive budget and stratospheric wage.
Like I say, not a criticism, just part of the context of his job.
He cant complain about the backing he has received.
COYB. | |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:13 - Feb 6 with 2263 views | blueoutlook |
You think ? I thought he looked worried and agitated. It looks like Ashton is having a massive sway on transfers. Let’s be honest, our recruitment isn’t fit for purpose at the moment. Listen to what Adrian Durham has to say about it all. |  | | |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:21 - Feb 6 with 2215 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 13:07 - Feb 6 by Reuser_is_God |
I don’t think he’s at odds with the recruitment department, which is when we should worry.
He was full of praise for some of there work.
Nothing to see here for me. |
Hmm
We’ve got a lot wrong with recruitment since promotion, so if things don’t go the way they should in terms of top 2 as the season ticks on, people will begin to protect their own personal interests a bit more, that’s how it usually works. He’s the only one who has to stand in front of the press weekly after all.
The club seem to have wanted it on record that he was giving options for strikers, otherwise Watson wouldn’t have reported it?
Obviously this isn’t some big fallout but for someone that says very little, he offered a bit more insight today, with this and the Szmodics situation, that’s a little notable, if nothing else.
From the way I read the quote, he might sign off on the player in terms of giving the green light, that yes, they could help the team but is nothing to do with how much money we bid or pay to bring them in. That might seem obvious but by alluding to that with the recent Millwall bid, you could probably read between the lines in terms of distancing himself with some of the fees we’ve paid for others, well, maybe.
As Ashton always reminds us, stronger as one! Winning and ultimately promotion will quieten any noise! That’s really the only objective. We can spend the summer deciding who’s not good enough and who we have to take a loss on, a lot more comfortably with 180M banked and PL football returning to PR in August. [Post edited 6 Feb 14:22]
|  |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:31 - Feb 6 with 2116 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:21 - Feb 6 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
Hmm
We’ve got a lot wrong with recruitment since promotion, so if things don’t go the way they should in terms of top 2 as the season ticks on, people will begin to protect their own personal interests a bit more, that’s how it usually works. He’s the only one who has to stand in front of the press weekly after all.
The club seem to have wanted it on record that he was giving options for strikers, otherwise Watson wouldn’t have reported it?
Obviously this isn’t some big fallout but for someone that says very little, he offered a bit more insight today, with this and the Szmodics situation, that’s a little notable, if nothing else.
From the way I read the quote, he might sign off on the player in terms of giving the green light, that yes, they could help the team but is nothing to do with how much money we bid or pay to bring them in. That might seem obvious but by alluding to that with the recent Millwall bid, you could probably read between the lines in terms of distancing himself with some of the fees we’ve paid for others, well, maybe.
As Ashton always reminds us, stronger as one! Winning and ultimately promotion will quieten any noise! That’s really the only objective. We can spend the summer deciding who’s not good enough and who we have to take a loss on, a lot more comfortably with 180M banked and PL football returning to PR in August. [Post edited 6 Feb 14:22]
|
If we get promoted, at least Ashton wont have the distraction of all the required ground improvements this time around. He can focus more on recruitment with KM and the team. | |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:34 - Feb 6 with 2084 views | Garv |
This may or may not be relevant to the general point you're trying to make, but I remember saying at the end of the summer window that if he gets us promoted from that position and considering all the summer upheaval, it'll be his best achievement yet.
I really hope as a fanbase we never get to the stage where we get bored of him. That was fairly easy with our last long-term manager Mick because he never really brought any success and the football was dull, but it shouldn't happen with KMc. |  |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:36 - Feb 6 with 2076 views | jas0999 |
The problem is, KM was given a long list of strikers from hiss counts and chose not to pursue, going after a winger instead. The January window was very poor. KM may be frustrated and rightly so, but he’s part of the team responsible for bringing players in.
There was definitely a different side to KM today. Seemed a bit more outspoken and aggressive. Perhaps, MA has told him the board are unimpressed we are so far off the automatic promotion places - the correct amd only right expectation and objective for the resources KM has available. The away form, is obviously nowhere near good enough. | | | |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:38 - Feb 6 with 2037 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:31 - Feb 6 by Marshalls_Mullet |
If we get promoted, at least Ashton wont have the distraction of all the required ground improvements this time around. He can focus more on recruitment with KM and the team. |
You’d hope the people with the money would encourage him to relinquish a lot more of the control on that side of things. It would be my preference anyway, glad we have brought in more experienced heads on the recruitment side, hope it continues to evolve. When I look at the body of work since summer 2024, there’s obviously some hits but just seems a bit chaotic unbalanced with overinflated fees paid for quite a few. He’s clearly excellent as CEO for everything off the pitch and of course we can never forget, he’s the one that identified KM in the first place.
This entire project hinges massively on the next 17 games, that’s why I’m very nervous watching every minute of league football with ITFC right now. I’d be worried if we don’t make it back this season. [Post edited 6 Feb 14:39]
| |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:44 - Feb 6 with 1985 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:34 - Feb 6 by Garv |
This may or may not be relevant to the general point you're trying to make, but I remember saying at the end of the summer window that if he gets us promoted from that position and considering all the summer upheaval, it'll be his best achievement yet.
I really hope as a fanbase we never get to the stage where we get bored of him. That was fairly easy with our last long-term manager Mick because he never really brought any success and the football was dull, but it shouldn't happen with KMc. |
I don’t buy that personally, this league is bang average and the other two parachute clubs are in a complete mess, which is unusual. Getting to 87-90 points with our budget wouldn’t be more of an achievement than 2024. | |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:50 - Feb 6 with 1943 views | GavTWTD |
Any, none or all of the above may be true but would have thought that MA would want to keep KM happy but recruitment arrangements have divided bigger clubs than ours. |  |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 15:21 - Feb 6 with 1748 views | Guthrum |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:36 - Feb 6 by jas0999 |
The problem is, KM was given a long list of strikers from hiss counts and chose not to pursue, going after a winger instead. The January window was very poor. KM may be frustrated and rightly so, but he’s part of the team responsible for bringing players in.
There was definitely a different side to KM today. Seemed a bit more outspoken and aggressive. Perhaps, MA has told him the board are unimpressed we are so far off the automatic promotion places - the correct amd only right expectation and objective for the resources KM has available. The away form, is obviously nowhere near good enough. |
Why would you say the January window was very poor? We brought in Mehemeti as much needed cover for Nunez, plus Neil who can both cover Matusiwa and provide an alternative for Taylor/Cajuste. For me, that will do much more to overcome recent issues (the connectivity in midfield, preventing Clarke from having to drop deep) than adding another striker, when our system does not use them as the primary goalscorer.
Edit: Also, we didn't disrupt the functionality ("gelledness") of the team with unnecessary signings. [Post edited 6 Feb 15:24]
|  |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 15:25 - Feb 6 with 1714 views | boysof1981 |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 13:48 - Feb 6 by Marshalls_Mullet |
99% of managers aren't being paid any where near as much as him. The pressure comes with the mahoooosive budget and stratospheric wage.
Like I say, not a criticism, just part of the context of his job.
He cant complain about the backing he has received.
COYB. |
Isn’t he the best paid manager in the league by a long way? The crowd isn’t as good as the few seasons probably down to the way we’re now playing. Slow and predictable | | | |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 15:47 - Feb 6 with 1581 views | itfcsuth |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:45 - Feb 6 by Marshalls_Mullet |
Tools he has been given?
Pretty much the best squad in the league.
I'm not criticising him in any way, but 99% of managers in this league would LOVE to have his squad / budget. |
That in essence may be part of issue though, where we went a little bit galactico, almost just buying the best players historically in the Championship without maybe sitting back and thinking, do these players actually fit KMc system and culture.
We've seen previous golden boot winners come in and not necessarily fit our system, we've just seen one not right our culture, we've seen talented boys in Clarke and Philogene come in but we've had to reshape the way we play to accommodate.
Individually it's a talent group, but it's a team game, and buying the best individuals is a small part of building a successful team as KMc says. | | | |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 16:02 - Feb 6 with 1494 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:38 - Feb 6 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
You’d hope the people with the money would encourage him to relinquish a lot more of the control on that side of things. It would be my preference anyway, glad we have brought in more experienced heads on the recruitment side, hope it continues to evolve. When I look at the body of work since summer 2024, there’s obviously some hits but just seems a bit chaotic unbalanced with overinflated fees paid for quite a few. He’s clearly excellent as CEO for everything off the pitch and of course we can never forget, he’s the one that identified KM in the first place.
This entire project hinges massively on the next 17 games, that’s why I’m very nervous watching every minute of league football with ITFC right now. I’d be worried if we don’t make it back this season. [Post edited 6 Feb 14:39]
|
Ashton.... relinquish control?! 😂
I suspect KM was well known to a lot of football clubs, our timing may have been a case of right place, right time. He had just lost his job at Man Utd. | |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 16:11 - Feb 6 with 1430 views | billlm |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 16:02 - Feb 6 by Marshalls_Mullet |
Ashton.... relinquish control?! 😂
I suspect KM was well known to a lot of football clubs, our timing may have been a case of right place, right time. He had just lost his job at Man Utd. |
I didn't think he lost his job at United I thought we took him from there to give him his first managerial job, |  | | |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 16:14 - Feb 6 with 1404 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 16:11 - Feb 6 by billlm |
I didn't think he lost his job at United I thought we took him from there to give him his first managerial job, |
Yes, you're right.
I was thinking he left with Solskjaer, but he had been kept on by interim coach Ragngick. I suspect the change in managers helped our hand though. | |
| |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 17:14 - Feb 6 with 1150 views | ReusersTown |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 12:45 - Feb 6 by Marshalls_Mullet |
Tools he has been given?
Pretty much the best squad in the league.
I'm not criticising him in any way, but 99% of managers in this league would LOVE to have his squad / budget. |
Doesn't mean the parts fit what he wants/needs to achieve. And what do you mean by his budget? The whole point of the OP is that he is the coach, not in charge of recruitment. | | | |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 17:18 - Feb 6 with 1135 views | ReusersTown |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 14:31 - Feb 6 by Marshalls_Mullet |
If we get promoted, at least Ashton wont have the distraction of all the required ground improvements this time around. He can focus more on recruitment with KM and the team. |
Aston shouldn't be anywhere near the recruitment, as proved by Bristol, he's also chief exec. | | | |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 17:34 - Feb 6 with 1053 views | HighgateBlue |
| McKenna’s Best Presser on 15:21 - Feb 6 by Guthrum |
Why would you say the January window was very poor? We brought in Mehemeti as much needed cover for Nunez, plus Neil who can both cover Matusiwa and provide an alternative for Taylor/Cajuste. For me, that will do much more to overcome recent issues (the connectivity in midfield, preventing Clarke from having to drop deep) than adding another striker, when our system does not use them as the primary goalscorer.
Edit: Also, we didn't disrupt the functionality ("gelledness") of the team with unnecessary signings. [Post edited 6 Feb 15:24]
|
I agree that the signings of Mehmeti (coupled with the departure of SS, on which we must trust KMc, but he clearly hadn't been setting the world alight in any event), and Neil were positive. It would have been unreasonable to have expected anything better in either position, and the fee for Mehmeti was really surprisingly low in the context of the market generally (and January's reputation in particular).
And to be honest, I think there's pretty much consensus about the above, at least in terms of the 2 incomings.
Whether it was a poor transfer window really depends on how important you think it was to bring in a striker. Personally, I think it was really very important. I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but we don't have a top 6 level striker, Norwich have two better number 9s than we have, and we've spent the budget of a small country on wingers and 10s. And frankly, if McKenna had got his man from Millwall, we would have spent the budget of a not so small country on wingers and 10s.
Big chances missed, Xg conversion rates, just not good enough from Hirst for a starting number 9. And as likeable as Azon is, and as good as he is at the "other things", his goal return is paltry. Absolutely paltry.
Are we gonna get a bunch of freekicks at Nunez distance? Keep getting last minute pens for Clarke to save our blushes? Is Philogene gonna come back from injury and resume banging in worldies?
If so, we'll probably keep up our current form but not quite make automatic promotion. If not, we'll have no prayer of the automatics. We need a radical upturn in form from our number 9s, and I've no idea what would suddenly cause that. |  | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
