McKenna Expected to Stay at Town
Monday, 27th May 2024 17:00

Boss Kieran McKenna now looks set to stay at Town and sign a new long-term contract.

Since the Blues confirmed promotion to the Premier League, the Town manager has been the subject of speculation regarding his future with Brighton initially looking his likely destination before Chelsea and Manchester United also held talks with his representatives.

As reported on Saturday, Chelsea are now looking elsewhere with former Seagulls boss Roberto de Zerbi the favourite to take over at Stamford Bridge, while the Red Devils are set to hold an end-of-season review which mean their management situation - with Erik ten Hag currently still in charge - not likely to be settled for a little while yet.

Brighton have remained keen on the Blues boss but told him towards the end of last week that they weren’t prepared to wait indefinitely for him to commit to a move to Sussex.

Meanwhile, the Blues have pulled out all the stops to try to keep the Northern Irishman at Portman Road with TWTD revealing on Friday that Ed Schwartz, the CEO of ORG, the US investment firm which manages funds on behalf of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS), the club’s majority owner, had flown over from the States to hold talks with CEO Mark Ashton and McKenna.

The offer of a new more lucrative extended contract was expected to be made as Town sought to keep McKenna, whose current terms run to the summer of 2027, for their first Premier League season in 22 years.

The Blues’ entreaties appear to have done the trick with the Blues boss understood to be ready to commit to staying at Portman Road, although with nothing yet signed.

Confirmation of that new deal will be gleefully celebrated by Town fans, who for the last few days have feared losing the man who has taken them to back-to-back promotions and into the top flight for the first time in a generation.

Photo: Matchday Images

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Normandyblue added 23:33 - May 27 So his team has leveraged a better contract for him (deserved)? Sounds like a good manager has good representatives, anyone surprised? Very good news if true, no shade at all from me.
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Juggsy added 00:06 - May 28 Great news. Maybe a time for reflection for some on here.
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ibisblue added 04:47 - May 28 Lets just wait for the signinging contract confirmation and get back to the strengthening and building euphoria of a week ago... sounding great!
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Burley4ever added 06:58 - May 28 This is great news. Like others on here I think he will end up as Man Utd boss or England boss in the distant future but he's here to stay now so now the work starts now on recruitment especially Hutchinson and more young quality players!!!
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therein61 added 07:38 - May 28 Brilliant news from a club that is run in a proper and professional manner lets get prepared for the new season on and off the field, I don't blame K.M for exploring possibilities as in any career you can always improve your prospects but it appears the contract and budget could have settled things down. C.O.Y.B.
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ImAbeliever added 07:41 - May 28 Nice, very nice.
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leftie1972 added 07:44 - May 28 Thank frank for that. We now need to get on with some new signings as this period of turbulence has had us at a disadvantage.
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Bluepool added 07:48 - May 28 Pure relief, my heart rate has returned to normal, time to do business, bring on next season
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Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 09:06 - May 28 brilliant work by the agent to get us to bid against ourselves!
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 09:31 - May 28

I think there's little doubt Kieran was (is?) interested in the ManU job in particular, and you can't blame him for that given his history with that club. But it looks as if he might not be top of their list, and so staying with ITFC is his best option for the time being, especially with a much improved contract. When you don't get your first choice, you can still throw yourself into the alternative, and I'm sure Kieran will do that 100% if and when he signs his contract with us. COYB!

OldFart71 added 10:04 - May 28

Excellent news. Whilst we all expected McKenna to leave some day, nobody was prepared after back to back promotions that there would this crisis of a will he, won't he situation. We know McKenna's stock has increased many fold due to taking a club battling against three parachute payment clubs to the Premier League. But I think most fans believed he would stay a few more seasons. I'm not surprised he was coveted by Brighton, Man Utd and Chelsea but would have thought all would have liked to have seen what he could do in the Premier League and I am sure McKenna would be the first to admit he didn't get the accolades he achieved on his own.

markytitfc added 10:17 - May 28

How do you know what Brighton told him? Personally, I think all this hype and speculation surrounding Mckenna is all coming from bookies! End of season, few matches to bet on = less revenue for bookies. Make up unfounded stories to get punters lumping money on = increase in revenue and very unlikely to pay out! Other media outlets reporting on same stories, heavily sponsored by gambling outlets. And, not one of these stories has had any "quotes" ftom either, Brighton, Chelsea or Man Utd regarding KM. ITFC have kept quiet because there was nothing to say. As for KM's new contract, I would guess that the improved one he has apparently been offered, is due to his success and in getting ITFC promoted and not to stop him jumping ship

atty added 11:30 - May 28 I do hope that this is true, and not something spread by his representatives to give Man U a push. Nothing would surprise me anymore.
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atty added 11:39 - May 28 OldFar71. Good comment,particularly the end bit about accolades. Whilst McKenna gets all the plaudits, l think our owners, our senior non executive/executive management, all the coaching staff/back up staff, and all other staff deserve a lot of credit these past two seasons.
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lozklein added 11:53 - May 28 Chelsea stopped considering KM probably because KM told them that he had decided to stay with Town
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Wicksy added 12:02 - May 28 Will be much happier when the word 'expected' is removed from the headline!
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dusth added 12:21 - May 28

Marky, I think you nailed it there. Plus so much of the stuff that comes uninvited onto your browser from the football websites is there as advertising feeder. Three lines of teasing nothing followed by ten adverts for dross then three more lines until you get to a final doubtful fact which has also been nicked from somewhere else. They gotta earn a crust I suppose but the real journos like David Walsh stand back a bit and just talk sense without feeding the frenzy.

dirtydingusmagee added 12:38 - May 28 Hopefully we get confirmation soon.Be good when Willy Wonty leaves the building. We can then continue to enjoy our promotion and concentrate on transfers .
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Robert_Garrett added 14:40 - May 28 can we afford some of Leeds youngsters as they need to offload 140m in players to meet the FFP? Be nice to see what develops but no golden oldies please! Kieran specialises in making good players into excellent internationals. We just need to be patient. COYB.
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itfcblue27 added 15:53 - May 28 Is that it though? Something could still happen - with united carrying out their season review and Brighton still without a manager?
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