Town boss Kieran McKenna says speculation regarding his future was always going to come following the success of the last two seasons.

McKenna, speaking having been named the LMA’s Manager of the Year and Championship Manager of the Year, was quizzed on the interest from Brighton & Hove Albion as well as links with Chelsea and Manchester United.

“Look, the club has had such a positive season and has such a bright future ahead,” he told Sky Sports. “We’ve achieved so much, it’s been an incredible two years.

“And when you have those two years there always comes speculation and things like that, there’s been that every summer.

“I know how much everyone is looking forward to the season, the club is in a fantastic path and everyone is just really looking forward to the season ahead.”

Asked whether it would be difficult to turn down offers from those clubs should they come, McKenna responded: “Again, when you do well as a manager, or as a player, there’s always going to be speculation.

“I know what we have achieved is not an ordinary thing, so there’s always going to be speculation.

“But that’s not where my focus is tonight, it’s about what we’ve achieved last season, what we’ve achieved over the last couple of seasons, not just myself but everyone at the football club.

“It’s been a wonderful couple of years and tonight’s about celebrating that. I know everyone’s looking forward to next season and I know the club’s going to be in a really, really good place going into that season.”

Earlier, accepting the evening’s main honour, the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy, from the legendary former Manchester United boss, McKenna said: “It's incredible. Sir Alex Ferguson has been such a great part of my childhood growing up and my love for football, and for the game, has involved him - he's an inspiration.

“It's been a great journey. I'm two and a half years into a management career, but it's been 16 years of working incredibly hard every day pretty much to be the best coach I can be.

“It's the best thing in the world and I've had good experience as a first-team coach, but to be a manager in the Premier League and go up against great managers is going to be a great challenge and something I can't wait for. This award is one of the most humbling and proudest moments of my life.”

Ferguson, an ‍LMA executive committee member, added: “I extend my congratulations to Kieran McKenna on winning the LMA Manager of the Year award after a memorable season with Ipswich Town.

“He is an incredible young talent who had a great reputation when he was on the coaching staff at Manchester United.

“Kieran is humble and carries tremendous composure, as well as great technical and tactical insight and awareness – all the hallmarks to become a top manager at the very highest level.”

Outgoing LMA chair Howard Wilkinson said: “A huge well done to Kieran McKenna for becoming the winner of the LMA Manager of the Year for the first time.

“To be promoted once at any level is commendable, but to achieve the feat back-to-back is an incredible achievement and demonstrates his undoubted ability as one of the youngest and most exciting managers in the domestic game.

“Kieran has been recognised by his peers for leading Ipswich to the highest level of English football for the first time in over 20-years and is hugely deserving of this honour.”

A Town boss has won Manager of the Year once before, George Burley in the summer of 2001 after the Blues finished fifth in the Premier League in their first season following promotion.

Photo: LMA

grubbyoik added 10:20 - May 22 If he goes it will be to United.. because United have one more game to play this will be confirmed after...
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victorysquad added 10:36 - May 22 You can see the pain in his eyes, the emotional upheaval, he knows what it will do to us, all I would say is, "you don't have to go anywhere", we know its not going to be easy, but it will be worth it and the reward will be greater than you can ever imagine because you will become a legend alongside Robson and Ramsey.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 10:36 - May 22 I wouldn't worry about Chelsea. I'd guess K McK is far too intelligent to get mixed up in that set-up. Further than that, I don't really know at the moment, but I hope he stays.
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Bazza8564 added 10:47 - May 22 Chelsea are talking to Tuchel about going back, Poch will go to United they've always wanted him and Farioli is talking to Brighton. It just the usual summer paper talk and stuff being stirred up. We saw this last year and Kmc signed a new 4 year deal the day after being odds on at Leicester. Bored with it now
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Bluearmy_81 added 10:58 - May 22 Yeah he’s off, just shrug and accept. Jeez!! Town fans bending over just like they did for Evans!
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VanDusen added 11:06 - May 22 I actually think leaving now would be worse for McKenna than for us. Regardless of what happens next year, his stock will still be high even if we get relegated and I don't think there's any danger that the Man U job will be coming up again and no doubt the Chelsea job too. Graham Potter has already shown what can happen to a sky high reputation in the space of 3-4 months at one of the showbiz clubs. Brighton would just be a sideways move and probably with less control - only worthwhile if he's really unhappy with Ashton and the set up here. More to the point though - if he does go he may find what we found with Hurst syndrome. Paul Hurst was - and has gone on again to be - excellent with lower league players, but as soon as he found himself with World Cup internationals they balked at his methods and he lost the dressing room in record time. It sounds like there was some of this at Man Utd already with the super-egos there. I really hope not and expect to get marked down, but bear in mind it's possible that a change wouldn't be as catastrophic for us as some think now he's actually achieved the unthinkable and got us up. We're an attractive prospect now with Premier League status and ambitious owners with deep pockets for our size of club. I'd prefer this to be the Kieran McKenna story, but if he doesn't want to be with us any more there's plenty who will. And they may even - dare I say it - be in a better position to keep us up starting from scratch?

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Gilesy added 11:14 - May 22 Bluearmy_81, are you just 1st generation AI?
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barrystedmunds added 11:14 - May 22 For what they’re worth, my thoughts are this. Its media fuelled speculation. I don’t think Man Ure or Chelski will go for such an unproven rookie manager at the level they desire despite his undoubted potential and Albion wouldn’t be such an attractive proposition as what we represent! Cue breaking news, McKenna Old Trafford bound!!!
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warno added 11:23 - May 22 Xabi Alonso did the decent thing and announced early that he was staying at Bayer Leverkusen. What's the point of Contracts when they are not worth the paper they are written on?
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bringmeaKuqi added 11:31 - May 22 Look at Kompany! He did remarkably well, then got relegated, and now is being linked to the Bayern job. if KMK stays, even if we go straight down, his stock will be high and he could still get a top top job.
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Dissboyitfc added 11:31 - May 22 Blue army = broken record, let it go man! Van dusen great post!
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Blue_In_Boston added 11:32 - May 22 Agree with @warno, he could end the speculation like Alonso did, then we all and more importantly the club knows exactly where we stand. This summer more than any we need laser like focus on recruitment, planning etc, to make sure that we retain Premier League status. Whichever way the cookie crumbles this is not helping the club in that goal.
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del45 added 11:43 - May 22 Please stop now and wait for the club to make a statement if required on these rumours now getting very silly.
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ArnieM added 11:47 - May 22 Brighton? Laughable Chelskie? He'd be absolutely mad to take the job : it'd go only one way Man Utd ? A basket case of a club right now ...Not now Best Option Kieran is to STAY HERE and finish what you've started!
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tractorboybig added 11:51 - May 22 sounds like he is heading for pastures new
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VanDusen added 11:58 - May 22 In all fairness we can say that Man U and Chelsea are basket cases, but I would think many may have advised him similar about us on arrival... ;o)
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BuckieBlue added 12:08 - May 22 Great LMA achievement. But as others on here have said, his stock is now higher than ever. I would imagine Brighton fans saying 'go get him.' I know we're potentially a bigger club than them, but they have a brilliant infrastructure to bottom which would interest any manager.
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terryf added 12:19 - May 22 Going up against great Managers in the Premiership is something that I can't wait for. Says it all ...he's going nowhere. Going to Chelsea or Man U he'd be on a hiding to nothing and I doubt he'd have the same input to the running of the Club that he enjoys with Ipswich.
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backwaywhen added 12:27 - May 22 Is he cranking up his own position with us , pay me more on a longer contract I …… then I will stay , shrewd man is McKenna.
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Alfie added 13:17 - May 22 “It’s been a wonderful couple of years and tonight’s about celebrating that. I know everyone’s looking forward to next season and I know the club’s going to be in a really, really good place going into that season.” The last sentence worries me that he is going. I begrudge him nothing if he does go and wish him nothing but the best
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Writtleblue added 13:28 - May 22 Sir Bobby stayed for 13 years until the England job came up, it would be great if KM did the same.
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Jack27 added 13:30 - May 22 On the BBC report for winning the award: McKenna, born in London and raised in Northern Ireland, left his role as a first-team coach at Manchester United to take over at Ipswich in December 2021 when the Suffolk club were in League One. In finishing second in the Championship this season, one point behind winners Leicester City, he has guided the Tractor Boys to back-to-back promotions. "This award is one of the most humbling and proudest moments of my life," said McKenna, who was presented with the award by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. "It's the best thing in the world and I've had good experience as a first-team coach, but to be a manager in the Premier League and go up against great managers is going to be a great challenge and something I can't wait for."

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IpswichT62OldBoy added 13:51 - May 22 "It's the best thing in the world and I've had good experience as a first-team coach, but to be a manager in the Premier League and go up against great managers is going to be a great challenge and something I can't wait for." .......with a team he has created and crafted, in his style over two and a half seasons.....he would be mad to go, look at what he is on the verge of achieving at a Club that is doing all of the right things and has the full support of hands -off owners. I am very relaxed that he is not going anywhere in the next 12 months, at very least.

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Robert_Garrett added 14:06 - May 22 Make a difference
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Skip73 added 14:23 - May 22 Oh for the good old days of McCarthy and Lambert when nobody tried to poach our manager.....
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