New Town manager Kieran McKenna has been reflecting on the injury which ended his playing career before it had really got started but which has given him a head start when it comes to coaching having taken charge of the Blues aged only 35.

McKenna is the club’s second-youngest manager behind Sir Alf Ramsey, who was a couple of weeks the new boss’s junior when he was handed the reins in 1955.

The former midfielder says he was a regular in the reserves - scoring in a 2-0 win at Portman Road in November 2005 - when his career came to a grinding halt.

“My injuries came, especially my hip injury, at around 20 years of age,” he recalled. “At that stage at Tottenham I was in and around the first-team group, I’d played in some pre-season friendlies, I was consistently training with the first team, I was captain of the reserves and I felt like I was on a really good pathway at that stage.

“I had almost two years of surgeries and setbacks and specialists and disappointments and failed comebacks. It was a really challenging period.

“It was also a period when I learned a lot about myself. I was injured for almost a two-year spell really. I did have to start to examine and think what I wanted to do after football, what I wanted to turn my commitment to.

“It was even in that stage as a player that I decided already that coaching was going to be an avenue that I really wanted to attack that I thought I could be good at.

“So I started to lay the groundwork in that period. I also learned a lot about myself as a person because when you come through that level of disappointment, the setbacks that you have along the way, you learn about yourself and your resilience and your character in difficult moments.

“And, I think it’s a period that I’m proud of in a way because I don’t think at any stage I felt sorry for myself, I had good support around me with my family.

“When I finally had to make the decision to retire, I knew the direction I wanted to go in. Tottenham at the time were fantastic in supporting me and I was out coaching within a week of the last surgery in crutches on the grass working with [at that time academy coach] Alex Inglethorpe, [former academy manager] John McDermott and [then-head of player development] Chris Ramsey and some fantastic coaches.

“In the youth team at the time were Harry Kane and Tom Carroll, who is here, Ryan Mason, Andros Townsend, a really talented youth team, and it just felt right from the start.

“There was no in-between period of sitting at home and sulking and thinking what I might do next, I pretty much was from the surgery room, put the crutches on, put some boots on and get out on the pitch and learn.

“From that moment really, it felt right, it felt like something that came pretty naturally to me.

“I’ve always been extremely driven, extremely hard-working, it gave me something to completely devote all my energy and time to. And from that time I haven’t ever really looked back.

“Obviously there’s nothing like playing, you miss playing sometimes, but I’m out on the pitch, I can still kick a ball around, I love being around football, so I don’t think there have been many times over the last 13 years that I’ve really missed playing.

“Coaching has felt like a natural fit to me and it’s felt like, if there is such a thing as fate or destiny, maybe it was the path which was right for me. No regrets, I’ve loved the journey so far and hopefully it continues.”

McKenna is the second Town manager to have been recruited from Manchester United, Scott Duncan having made a similar move, although in less orthodox circumstances in November 1937.

According to legend, then-Town chairman Captain Ivan Cobbold effectively kidnapped Duncan, his driver bringing him to Suffolk before a Telegram was sent to United to say ‘We have your manager, a case of vintage port is on its way to you’. Duncan remained with the Blues until 1955.

McKenna was asked whether he would have joined Town had Ole Gunnar Solskjaer not been sacked last month.

“It’s a good question, a couple of people have asked me that privately,” he said. “It was an opportunity that I wanted, it was the age I wanted to take it and at and the opportunity that I feel I was ready for.

“[New United manager] Ralf [Rangnick] is not too long in the door, I’ve had a really good relationship with him over the couple of weeks, he was fantastic for me, he took me as a big part of his staff and wanted me to work with him going forward.

“You can’t say because it was a situation which never happened, but I know this was an opportunity that I wanted to take and wanted to come my way, and it did come my way and it felt like the right time and I was just very happy to have taken it and to be here.”

Photo: TWTD

Mr_Jingles added 20:35 - Dec 20 Its the most positive I've felt about the future of this club, since the Burley days. Not expecting much more than mid table this season, but given a chance this guy can take us back to the good times !
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1psw1ch added 20:56 - Dec 20 Something about McKenna takeing over feels different in a positive way,,, I'm likeing the way he comes across and presents himself,,,, let the good times roll
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herfie added 21:13 - Dec 20 Picking up on a quality Mike Ashton highlighted: football intelligence. Not particularly easy to define, but very apparent in the way a manager speaks and conducts himself. An example might be Arsene Wenger, who possessed it in spades. Of course outstanding coaching and management skills are a given; but to bring someone in who also possesses that additional arrow in his quiver can only be positive. Time of course will tell - but I'm cautiously optimistic! COYB!

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BobbyBell added 11:48 - Dec 21 Fate? Maybe, as he worked under Jose Mourinho whom in turn worked under Bobby Robson. Could some of Sir Bobby have filtered it's way back to ITFC?
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KernewekBlue added 12:34 - Dec 21 This young fella talks a good game and he has certainly had an opportunity to learn some of the ropes from exceptional and successful managers. If his knowledge and work ethic are as described in the recent pieces we've read here lately and if he can put his stamp on this club of ours, it might just turn out to be a master stroke getting him in the door. I am not expecting miracles, I am not expecting us to suddenly become world beaters and sweep aside all the other teams in this league with ease, but I am expecting progress, looking forward to seeing enhanced work rate and attitude on the pitch and improvements in consistency and results until the end of the season. There is still a chance to do something meaningful this season and perhaps be in the mix come the end. We do need to be mindful, however, that he will need time, support from the club and the fans and commitment from the players to do a job here. The January transfer window will be worth a watch too. It'll be interesting to see how he utilises his knowledge and his contacts to strengthen the squad and who, from our current crop, he puts to one side in order to accommodate new arrivals. Let's hope we all have a very merry Christmas with lots of plus points to chat about here over the festive period and beyond. COYB

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rgp1 added 16:27 - Dec 21 Words of caution needed here and too many on here getting hyped up before he has managed a game. Yes everyone is hoping for better and fingers crossed. But just remember if these two have been senior coaches at old Trafford it us worth noting that Manure have hardly been setting the world alight.
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Wacko added 16:39 - Dec 21 Maybe it's Maybelline
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WeWereZombies added 20:13 - Dec 21 Wasn't the story with Scott Duncan that Man Utd. wanted to separate the manager job from Club Secretary but were only prepared to give him the Secretary position, so he came to Town to carry on doing both jobs?
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