| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated 07:56 - Jun 3 with 2393 views | unstableblue |
The draw for Fulham is the squad.
I’m not sure the fan base, size of stadium, leadership team are any kind of major draw.
Crucially if McKenna visited the training ground and then thought of the brand new state of the art facility he’s helped to design, would be very much minded to stay. Chalk and cheese.
Plus it’s Croydon. So it’s a family upheavel. Unless he lived separately in the week.
Can’t see it myself. [Post edited 3 Jun 7:57]
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| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 11:59 - Jun 3 with 409 views | Guthrum |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 10:22 - Jun 3 by _CliveBaker_ |
As its stands you would have to say its more likely than unlikely. Not saying we don't have a chance of staying up but we're rightly one of the favourites for relegation. Yes we're better prepared than last time, but whether we're 20 points better prepared is another question.
I think it was harder to leave last time, it sounds like it wasn't an easy decision but after back to back promotions and with all the momentum at the time I can see why he would've wanted to have a swing at the premier league with us. After that achievement that emotional attachment of not leading us out in the Prem was no doubt hard to step away from. Not saying he's ever regretted staying necessarily, but 2 years is a long time and I wouldn't be surprised if he sees it a little differently this time around. He won't want another PL relegation on his CV, and if he's to establish himself as a top flight manager you can certainly make a case for Fulham being a better bet in the near term than us. |
If the season started tomorrow, then yes. However, we have the transfer window before then, in which McKenna knows he will be well backed. Plus preseason, during which he can build upon the more defensively tough approach adopted in 2025-26. I think that will reap dividends this time around.
Look at all the games in the Prem where conceding one fewer goal would have given us points, particularly in the first half of the season. Could have earnt us another 28 if we did that every time.
I'm not saying it will turn out that simply, but it shows how fine the margins were really and what McKenna has already done to better prepare the team philosophy. |  |
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| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 12:11 - Jun 3 with 386 views | Guthrum |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 10:32 - Jun 3 by Mullet |
The idea he won’t go because of this stuff is pure fantasy. He will go where the money and opportunity is. |
I still think the amount of control he gets at Ipswich, as opposed to having a DoF doing all bar the coaching sessions and matchday team selection, will have some influence upon McKenna's decision. | |
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| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 12:32 - Jun 3 with 329 views | jas0999 |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 10:20 - Jun 3 by ElderGrizzly |
Won't it simply be, what is best for my career and who gives me the best chance of staying in the PL next season?
I think we are over-thinking the importance of how nice the training ground is at this point.
If Fulham or Palace come calling, they are many many years ahead of us. |
Exactly this. |  | | |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 12:39 - Jun 3 with 309 views | MJallday |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 08:13 - Jun 3 by Churchman |
It isn’t really Croydon. It’s off the A3 in the triangle between Merton, Surbiton and Worcester Park.
It’s not far from Claygate/ Cobham. Richmond is easy to get to as well should he wish to live there. There’s actually plenty of lovely places to live and lots of good schools. The training facility dates to 2019 and is fine.
The stadium isn’t great despite the state of the art new stand and the support might be limited but like Palace, they’re a good crowd and they’d be behind him 100%.
Whether he’d fit in with the structure and the owners is the only real question mark and is he likely to get a better job than that at the present time? Say Newcastle, should Howe get the chop. |
"The stadium isn’t great despite the state of the art new stand and the support might be limited but like Palace, they’re a good crowd and they’d be behind him 100%."
Not sure i agree with that. A quick look at the fulham forums suggests that he'd be seen very much as a massive downgrade on what theyve had
the overwhelming consensus is they want Thomas Frank |  |
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| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 12:54 - Jun 3 with 261 views | _CliveBaker_ |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 11:59 - Jun 3 by Guthrum |
If the season started tomorrow, then yes. However, we have the transfer window before then, in which McKenna knows he will be well backed. Plus preseason, during which he can build upon the more defensively tough approach adopted in 2025-26. I think that will reap dividends this time around.
Look at all the games in the Prem where conceding one fewer goal would have given us points, particularly in the first half of the season. Could have earnt us another 28 if we did that every time.
I'm not saying it will turn out that simply, but it shows how fine the margins were really and what McKenna has already done to better prepare the team philosophy. |
Problem is everyone has a transfer window and a pre season. I'm as glass half full as anyone but it wasn't particularly fine margins for the most part last time around. It's a big step up and the reality of the situation is Fulham are a couple of years ahead of us in that respect.
Not saying its an easy decision for him or disputing that there's a compelling 'why' to stay put, but we shouldn't underestimate the appeal of an established, middling PL club, with a talented squad and nice new shiny stand of their own next to the Thames either.
There's also the wider point around possibly fancying a change. He did about 5 years at Spurs after retiring, 5 at United, similar here. There will come a point where he'll want to try something new. Sometimes its not necessarily push or pull factors, it could just be an opportunity to leave what he's done with us in a good spot and try something else. |  | | |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 12:59 - Jun 3 with 240 views | SomethingBlue |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 12:11 - Jun 3 by Guthrum |
I still think the amount of control he gets at Ipswich, as opposed to having a DoF doing all bar the coaching sessions and matchday team selection, will have some influence upon McKenna's decision. |
In fairness, I expect he would get full control of transfers at Fulham much as Silva did. | |
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| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 13:04 - Jun 3 with 218 views | NthQldITFC |
Not only is it dated, it's got a very silly name. |  |
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| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 13:35 - Jun 3 with 173 views | ElderGrizzly |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 10:21 - Jun 3 by tractorboy1978 |
Well it obviously wasn't that simple previously because he could/should have left us 2/3 times by that metric. |
That was 12 to 24 months ago.
All depends on what he has been promised here I guess vs established teams in the PL
The only good thing is Fulham and Palace know they have vacancies now. Not in 6 weeks time. So if the worst happens, it's likely to be in the next couple of weeks.
Palace thought they were getting Iraola until Slot was sacked [Post edited 3 Jun 13:40]
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| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 13:47 - Jun 3 with 152 views | Kieran_Knows |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 12:54 - Jun 3 by _CliveBaker_ |
Problem is everyone has a transfer window and a pre season. I'm as glass half full as anyone but it wasn't particularly fine margins for the most part last time around. It's a big step up and the reality of the situation is Fulham are a couple of years ahead of us in that respect.
Not saying its an easy decision for him or disputing that there's a compelling 'why' to stay put, but we shouldn't underestimate the appeal of an established, middling PL club, with a talented squad and nice new shiny stand of their own next to the Thames either.
There's also the wider point around possibly fancying a change. He did about 5 years at Spurs after retiring, 5 at United, similar here. There will come a point where he'll want to try something new. Sometimes its not necessarily push or pull factors, it could just be an opportunity to leave what he's done with us in a good spot and try something else. |
I just can’t help but feel, Fulham? Really? Yes I get they’re 3-4 years ahead of us in terms of being established in the Prem, yes they’ve got a nice shiny stand, but Fulham? Fcuk me. A bang average mid table team who, can’t even be arsed to field full strength teams in cup competitions.
I know McKenna will move on at some point, I get that. But is there anything he can’t achieve here that he’d achieve at Fulham - I appreciate we need to make a fist of it this time and stay up, but I just can’t help but to feel aggrieved to lose him to Fulham of all clubs. |  |
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| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 13:56 - Jun 3 with 119 views | tractorboy1978 |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 13:35 - Jun 3 by ElderGrizzly |
That was 12 to 24 months ago.
All depends on what he has been promised here I guess vs established teams in the PL
The only good thing is Fulham and Palace know they have vacancies now. Not in 6 weeks time. So if the worst happens, it's likely to be in the next couple of weeks.
Palace thought they were getting Iraola until Slot was sacked [Post edited 3 Jun 13:40]
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All the same arguments were being run for him going 12 to 24 months ago though. I'm not saying he definitely won't go but I don't really see why it is more likely now than it was in the past.
There are clear reasons why he might want to go but I think it is important to remember that there are lots of reasons for him to stay here too - which being the level headed man he is, are why he has stayed previously.
He might regret not taking the Brighton/Palace jobs before. But equally he might see what Leeds/Sunderland did last year and fancy himself to write another chapter here if he knows he has the backing/resources/improved recruitment team. Managing to keep us up might be the more risky option but if achieved is better for his CV than a possible mid-table finish with a Fulham side that (for me) is already performing at their ceiling.
Ultimately we don't know how he is feeling about it all. | | | |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 19:03 - Jun 3 with 1 views | Matt_Netherlands |
| Fulham training ground - Motspur Park - is quite dated on 08:55 - Jun 3 by LegendofthePhoenix |
Agree- too many downsides:
1) Training facilities
2) Family upheaval or living away from
3) No stock in the bank, I.e. get a poor run and sacked by Christmas
4) If McKenna can get a good start and keep us up, this would absolutely be a platform to go on to Spurs or Man Utd
5) Fulham are pretty much at their peak - mid table. What’s the peak of ITFC? Definitely higher, how high can we go?
6) Very ambitious owners at ITFC - and a 40k stadium on the way
7) McKenna is in a strong position to get the funds for the players he wants
8) We are much better prepared this time, back room staff, scouting networks etc.
9) He has something to prove this time
There are a few issues that have caused some frustration for KM this past season for sure, but overall I expect the above points to mean he stays until Spurs or Man Utd come calling. |
Points 1-3: Spot on
Point 4: I don’t see that as the case. Frank didn’t work out at Spurs (left Brentford), Potter didn’t at Chelsea (left Brentford), Hodgson and Rodgers didn’t at Liverpool (Previoisly Fulham), Moyes didn’t work out at United… only success story in recent times of a big six team hiring from a lower PL side is Poch at Tottenham. The clubs will see that and be wary of the jump.
Point 5: Do we really have a higher ceiling than Fulham? We have a better history and are historically a bigger club, but not sure you can argue our ceiling is higher.
Point 6: The Khans aren’t exactly football people but they are successful and ambitious football people. Have just added c.20% to the craven cottage capacity with one of the best stands in the country.
Point 7: Would say we are on a par financially with Fulham
Point 8: Spot on
Point 9: Arguably proving himself at an established PL side is as biggger challenge. |  | | |
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