Forum | So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! by unstableblue

So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 10:23 - Oct 4 with 1665 views

_clive_baker_

For me (and perhaps in part due to my age - mid 30's) I would say he's in 5th behind Bobby, Sir Alf, Burley and Lyall. It's early days for McKenna, on paper he's had us 2nd in L1 with a very competitive budget, and we're only 10 games into this season, so I won't be getting carried away with suggesting he's really achieved a huge amount yet. Of course it runs deeper than that and that only tells part of the story, he inherited a mess, has turned it around completely and got the whole squad bought in. He's got us so well organised, and playing such an incredible style of football that's very easy on the eye. If he gets us up to the Premier League then he leapfrogs Lyall for sure.

Forgive me if this is ignorant as it's before my time, but what did Duncan achieve in his relatively short spell as manager?

So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 10:26 - Oct 4 with 1644 views

SouthfieldsBlue

Disagree with a few of the EADT rankings, first attempt would put as

1: Ramsey
2: Robson
3: Burley
4: Lyall
5: Scott Duncan
6: McGarry
7: Mckenna

Think he has to come above anyone who didn't win us a promotion, would jump McGarry and Duncan instantly if he gets us to the Premier League. Would need to keep us there for a couple of seasons to make the jumpy above Lyall and Burley, or win one of the cups.

Duncan in fourth... on 10:34 - Oct 4 with 1607 views

LOL

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So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 10:42 - Oct 4 with 1576 views

baxterbasics

If he gets us back to back promotions, that's him straight to 3rd above Burley in my opinion. Obviously not quite the same achievement as 5th in the Prem, but I'm taking into account the progress on the football on the pitch in such a short period, and what KM has done with otherwise unremarkable players.

	zip
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So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 10:57 - Oct 4 with 1536 views

WeWereZombies

I shouldn't worry, Unstable, your silly posts are usually more interesting and provoke better debate than half the forum's 'sensible' posts.

I can't comment on Mick O'Brien and Scott Duncan, only know Sir Alf's time here from ancient clips of television snippets but we all know what he achieved (and went on to achieve after he left Portman Road.) With that imperfect hindsight I would put Sir Bobby slightly ahead of Sir Alf, both a fair way ahead of Burley - still in third at the moment but that could be under threat this time next year.

I reckon that on the evidence so far McKenna comes next, I know he hasn't won promotion at the level that Lyall did but he doesn't have the years of experience behind him yet still delivers better quality on the pitch (at the higher tempo of the game these days although he does have a larger support team too.) Not quite the same level of excitement as Royle but not the same sense of impending peril every now and again either, again we have to give McKenna the sense of unfair advantage over Royle because of teh budget available but, as with, Lyall we also have to understand that McKenna is still less than two years into a top job.

That McKenna is a better manager for Town than McCarthy is easy to argue though, better results, better to watch, better feeling between the club and supporters. We can say 'but McKenna didn't have to work under Evans' but I have a feeling he would have never come here if Evans was still in charge.

Must not forget Bill McGarry, who rescued us from the same sort of doldrums that McKenna first faced and had the team playing good football, signed a couple of very impressive players for us too. However, the prospects of where a McGarry team could go never looked quite as sweet as McKenna's do now.

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So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 11:01 - Oct 4 with 1518 views

TractorCam

I appreciate McCarthy originally turned us around, but he took the average attendance from (approx0 18,000 to 13,000.

McKenna gets regular sell outs. That is a very important factor to judge his performance.

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Duncan in fourth... on 11:04 - Oct 4 with 1503 views

unstableblue

Duncan in fourth... on 10:34 - Oct 4 by Dyland
LOL

You love it Dyland.. embrace it.. get involved...

And look this is a safe place... its OK to say Paul Jewel is your number one

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Duncan in fourth... on 11:05 - Oct 4 with 1488 views

Duncan in fourth... on 11:04 - Oct 4 by unstableblue
You love it Dyland.. embrace it.. get involved... And look this is a safe place... its OK to say Paul Jewel is your number one

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So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 11:06 - Oct 4 with 1489 views

gainsboroughblue

So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 10:23 - Oct 4 by _clive_baker_

Nothing, unless you count a Hospital Cup.

Duncan benefits on that list by having three seasons of upper mid-table mediocrity. 8th, 8th and 9th which will still be statistically better than a promotion or play-off campaign, intertwined with a relegation or lower mid-table seasons over a season or two longer time frame, such as in the example of Royle and Lyall.

[Post edited 4 Oct 2023 11:08]

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So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 11:07 - Oct 4 with 1472 views

itfc_bucks

Younger than some old timers on here, my pantheon reads:

Robson
Ramsey
Burley
McKenna
Royle

Duncan in fourth... on 11:09 - Oct 4 with 1458 views

PhilTWTD

Duncan in fourth... on 11:04 - Oct 4 by unstableblue
You love it Dyland.. embrace it.. get involved... And look this is a safe place... its OK to say Paul Jewel is your number one

I'm presuming Scott Duncan, who probably ought to be behind McGarry, as he won promotion to the top flight.

This post has been edited by an administrator

Not... Johnny Duncan's built an army? on 11:11 - Oct 4 with 1414 views

Duncan in fourth... on 11:09 - Oct 4 by PhilTWTD
I'm presuming Scott Duncan, who probably ought to be behind McGarry, as he won promotion to the top flight. This post has been edited by an administrator

We're so good it's unbelievable?

Proof if ever one needed it that football supporters don't necessarily mean their chants literally.

[Post edited 4 Oct 2023 11:13]

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I like that but too early to put McKenna up there surely? on 11:13 - Oct 4 with 1393 views

So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 11:07 - Oct 4 by itfc_bucks
Younger than some old timers on here, my pantheon reads: Robson Ramsey Burley McKenna Royle

Let's see how his as yet one and only second tier season goes first innit.

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So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 11:24 - Oct 4 with 1340 views

homer_123

Too early to judge.

I hope he stays here long enough to be able to judge him.

I will say this. The football we are watching (irrespective of the level we have been playing at under him) is up there with some of the best I've ever seen at Portman Road.

I've been fortunate enough to see us play under Robson onwards.

We seem to play with a freedom of a Joe Royle side (we'll score one more than you) but with a tactical approach I am not sure we have seen with any manager?

[Post edited 4 Oct 2023 12:20]

	Ade Akinbiyi couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo...
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So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 11:26 - Oct 4 with 1326 views

unstableblue

So where does McKenna now sit in the pantheon of Town managers?! on 10:57 - Oct 4 by WeWereZombies

Thanks WWZ appreciate that

'better to watch' is perhaps the key criteria.

I obviously never saw a Ramsey team but my Dad and Grandpa did watch visiting Sir Alf teams to their northern team.. and we were playing another level of entertaining ball by all accounts.

Hazy and positive memories of the Churchmans as a lad watching Robson's final and greatest team - and confirmed by TV replays - this was very easy on the eye and dynamic. Cooper, McCall, Burley, Osman, Butcher, Mills, Thijsen, Muhren, Mills, Gates, Wark, Mariner, Brazil - will we have a better team? they deserve our next bronze statue to be ALL OF THEM!

The Ferguson and Duncan years are clearer and were somewhat lost years for the club.. but there were pockets of exciting players and performances.

Lyall I was lost raving in fields and around Asia - a few games, little memory

Burley was electric for me.. when we got that momentum and passing going, it was a joy. Some good characters. And I wonder if McKenna could ever that glorious first season in the Premiership - unforgettable nights at PR. If you thought last night was good.. the atmosphere against Man U and the Wilnis goal were ridiculous.

Royle was enjoyable.. but the club was sinking, and I think there were some flaws in his approach, despites some attacking joyous games

Magilton actually delivered entertainment in spades.. shame he was a hot head... and couldn't get us to defend.

McCarthy did entertain in part in his bets play-off season, but the rest of his tenure was the antithesis of 'better to watch'

All of the above ramblings remind you that Town is a entertaining and dynamic football club at its heart.. thats what the fans demand. And that is what McKenna says he wants to deliver and that is what he is delivering.

So from an emotional how much I enjoy watching the football served up AND the results... this would be my pantheon of Town managers:

1. Ramsey
2. Robson
3. Burley
4. McKenna

If he can leapfrog Burley based on his achievements over the next few seasons before he leaves for Spurs or Man U.. then my word what a legacy and what memories... get the clay moulded and the bronze in the furnace!!
And I think that's his goal.

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Yes Scott Duncan in 4th on 11:33 - Oct 4 with 1320 views

unstableblue

Duncan in fourth... on 11:09 - Oct 4 by PhilTWTD
I'm presuming Scott Duncan, who probably ought to be behind McGarry, as he won promotion to the top flight. This post has been edited by an administrator

Yes EADT have Scott Duncan at 4th, extract of their description of him below.

Note - Scott Duncan has a lower win% than John Duncan! who knew - 45.3% versus 40.6%.. so the much maligned Duncan ver2.0 wasn;t all bad, and I have some fond memories.. albeit it, it was was sh!te and low attended for much of it

"Another whose presence in the higher echelons of Ipswich Town managers might surprise a few people. But his achievements at Portman Road were very significant and, in many ways, created the club we know today.

When Duncan arrived at Ipswich as the Second World War was looming, the club was in the Southern League.

Under his leadership, Ipswich joined the Football League for the first time, and became established as a league club, albeit in lowly Third Division (South)

in the 1953-54 season, the team won its first professional honour, capturing the Third Division (South) title, giving them the chance to sample Division Two football for the first time.

Although they were immediately relegated back to the third tier, Duncan had created a professional football club and a platform on which the incoming Alf Ramsey could build.

After Ramsey’s arrival, Duncan stayed on for three more seasons as club secretary, giving 18 years service in total. An important and often underestimated figure in the history of the club."

[Post edited 4 Oct 2023 11:34]

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