McKenna: I Feel Comfortable in the Role
Monday, 10th Jan 2022 15:48 Kieran McKenna has reflected on his first few weeks as a manager and says he feels comfortable in the role while fully aware that things won’t always go quite as smoothly as they have done up to now.
Saturday’s superb 4-0 victory at Gillingham saw McKenna make it two wins from two, the Blues having defeated Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 in his opening match at Portman Road.
Asked after Saturday’s game whether he was surprised how easily he’d taken to management since his appointment on December 16th, McKenna said: “Not easily, I think, but I do feel comfortable in the role.
“Like I said in my first interview, all the experiences I’ve had in my career up until this point have prepared me well for it.
“I don’t think there’s anything that I’m doing in the job now that is very different than what I’ve done throughout my whole career in terms of working with players, trying to improve players. Coming in every morning, coming in early, working really hard.”
The big difference from being an academy coach at the first-team coach or assistant manager at Manchester United is that the buck now stops with him.
“That’s something maybe to the outside seems really a big thing, but for me it’s not something I focus on,” the 35-year-old considered.
“Obviously you have to pick the team, pick the squad, but for me, it’s still just about developing, trying to get the team better, to be honest. That’s the main part of the job.
“The other parts of the job, the relationship with the fans, with the board, with the press, those things are a little bit different but I feel I’ve prepared well for it, I’m enjoying it, I feel comfortable in the role.
“Everyone says you don’t know until you go in there how you’ll take to it. I feel like I couldn’t have prepared any more or any better in my coaching career to make that step.
“Obviously the first couple of weeks have gone well, but I’ve also seen enough in my time in football already to know that there are ups and downs, you can’t get ahead of yourself, you can’t think that you’ve cracked it.
“As soon as you think you’ve cracked it, that’s when football or anything in life will come back to haunt you.
“It’s good days at the moment but I know there will be tough times ahead, it’s not going to be a smooth upwards trajectory. I just don’t think life works like that and football definitely doesn’t work like that.
“We know there’ll be setbacks along the way, there’ll be disappointments along the way, but I know I’ll just do my work to the best of my ability and hopefully in the enfdthat’s good enough to take this team forward.”
Photo: Matchday Images
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Thai_Blue added 15:53 - Jan 10
What a breath of fresh air our new manager is. |  | |
Bert added 16:03 - Jan 10
Comfortable but not complacent is exactly what I wanted to hear. His career as a coach has given him an insight into management and his close associations with some of the best managers in football will equip him to handle the pressure when it comes. This could turn out to be the wisest and most shrewd managerial appointment since Sir Bobby. | | |
Suffolkboy added 16:05 - Jan 10
More of the same , please ! MUCH more - KM makes managing simple and clear ,no unnecessary embellishment and yet gets to the heart of his job , our expectations and in a suitably restrained manner, his objectives .
Together it looks as if we can travel a long way : smashing prospect !
COYB | | |
Karlosfandangal added 16:40 - Jan 10
Let's hope when it does get bumpy the manager knocks don't come out of the wood work.
I get the feeling quite a few fans think we are going to walk in to the play offs but I am not so sure, hopeful but not expecting it just yet.
Feel Town have a far better chance with KM at the wheel rather than JC | | |
ShropshireBluenago09 added 16:46 - Jan 10
We've had too many ego managers in recent years.
McKenna is Humble, honest and hard working. |  | |
meekreech added 16:50 - Jan 10
With the way he has settled in to the position and the way things are progressing ( and with the improvement coming ) we may have to put something in the way of him being poached. | | |
JewellintheTown added 16:52 - Jan 10
I really like this guy. Says what needs hearing & does what needs doing and achieving positive results. Whatever he's doing is working so far.
Really wish him well and hope this one works out for us all. | | |
DaGremloid added 17:37 - Jan 10
A heartening lack of gobsh!tery so far. | | |
Linkboy13 added 18:40 - Jan 10
The term manager seems a bit old fashioned to me and is not used in other countries. I think he sees himself as head coach and certainly talks like one. | | |
MickMillsTash added 23:51 - Jan 10
Karlos- I would fancy us with JC at the wheel - he could turn Nsiala into Van Dijk
I'm a disciple of KM - early days but he's got a good squad of players and has talked more sense than the previous 2 managers have in 3 years - will be interesting to see how we play against teams that park the bus at Portman Road but I think he will have a plan |  | |
Barty added 08:25 - Jan 11
Things are on the up for the super blues | | |
PortmanTerrorist added 09:01 - Jan 11
This guy is the perfect fit for the rebuilt Club and infrastructure that PC now claims hindered rather than helped him. He will need luck and plenty of support, but at least we have integrity pouring out of KM whenever he acts or speaks. Not holding him up as our Messiah just yet, though can understand why some have gone early, and definitely want to see his and this teams reaction to adversity; THAT will tell us a huge amount about our new Manager and his and the team's potential to take us where we want to be. | | |
ringwoodblue added 09:06 - Jan 11
That's great to hear, we feel comfortable with him in the role too. |  | |
BobbyBell added 10:24 - Jan 11
There will be spells when things don't go right but I have confidence in KM to be adaptable and have the strategic ability to resolve any issues and to keep us moving forwards. He appears to be a very good coach and a good man manager so I think this squad can really come together (I now hate the word gell) as a very tight and happy unit. | | |
brendenward35 added 10:32 - Jan 11
Think the big difference between KcKenna and PC is his assistant, they have worked together a long time and trust each other. Two very good coaches and I'm sure will be able to bounce ideas off each other when the going get hard. Really pleased with what I've seen so far and can see why Ashton and the board were impressed by him. | | |
ringwoodblue added 22:47 - Jan 11
Brendenward - You have made an important point above. Although McKenna is the main man and getting most of the plaudits, we can't afford to underestimate the importance of Pert's role in this team. Like Richardson with Cook at Wigan, the assistant can be as (if not more) instrumental than the manager in the team's fortunes. | | |
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