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McKenna Deal Now Set to Be Confirmed Thursday Wednesday, 29th May 2024 19:08
Town boss Kieran McKenna’s new contract is still with the lawyers and confirmation of the new deal is now expected to be confirmed on Thursday.
It’s understood there’s no panic with the long-term, more lucrative deal agreed, but with legal teams continuing to work through the fine detail.
The Blues boss was at Portman Road yesterday with a photo of him playing football on the pitch with his son having circulated on social media but is now believed to have gone abroad.
The Town manager’s future has been the subject of feverish speculation for most of the last fortnight with Brighton initially looking his likely destination before Chelsea and Manchester United also held talks with his representatives.
As reported last Wednesday, despite speaking to McKenna’s people, Leicester’s Enzo Maresca was always Chelsea’s top target and the Italian is now understood to be close to being appointed at Stamford Bridge.
The Red Devils, who beat Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday, 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.
Early last week, prior to Chelsea making their interest known, Brighton are understood to have thought the Blues boss was ready to join them.
As no progress was made in the following days and as the situation developed, we understand the Seagulls set a deadline of this Wednesday for the Northern Irishman to commit to a move to Sussex.
But, as was the case with Crystal Palace when they showed interest in February, a switch which it has now emerged came closer than appeared at the time, McKenna ultimately preferred to remain at Portman Road.
While the speculation regarding the other clubs continued apace, the Blues pulled out all the stops to try to keep hold of their manager 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, flying over from the States to hold talks with CEO Mark Ashton and McKenna.
Those talks were evidently a success and once the new contract is confirmed, Town fans will be assured that they will have their talismanic boss still in charge when they make their return to the Premier League after 22 years away in August.
Photo: Matchday Images
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Agent tries to leverage the best deal possible for his client shock! Frankly, in KM’s exalted situation, if my agent HADN’T explored the possible options I’d now be looking for a new agent! Most of us are lifelong Town supporters. The managers and players can’t possibly have that same fundamental connection with the club that we do. It’s not very romantic, but surely all we can really expect is that they do the best job possible while they’re here … before they move on elsewhere … as they all will. We’re happy that KM is staying, but we’ll still be here long after he’s gone … like we were after Sir Bob … and our parents/grandparents were after Sir Alf. (Do you want me sing The Circle of Life now?!)
Agent tries to leverage the best deal possible for his client shock! Frankly, in KM’s exalted situation, if my agent HADN’T explored the possible options I’d now be looking for a new agent! Most of us are lifelong Town supporters. The managers and players can’t possibly have that same fundamental connection with the club that we do. It’s not very romantic, but surely all we can really expect is that they do the best job possible while they’re here … before they move on elsewhere … as they all will. We’re happy that KM is staying, but we’ll still be here long after he’s gone … like we were after Sir Bob … and our parents/grandparents were after Sir Alf. (Do you want me sing The Circle of Life now?!)
Agent tries to leverage the best deal possible for his client shock! Frankly, in KM’s exalted situation, if my agent HADN’T explored the possible options I’d now be looking for a new agent! Most of us are lifelong Town supporters. The managers and players can’t possibly have that same fundamental connection with the club that we do. It’s not very romantic, but surely all we can really expect is that they do the best job possible while they’re here … before they move on elsewhere … as they all will. We’re happy that KM is staying, but we’ll still be here long after he’s gone … like we were after Sir Bob … and our parents/grandparents were after Sir Alf. (Do you want me sing The Circle of Life now?!)
Latest word on the street is that Man Utd have come in again amidst all the fervour of Kieran's intention to commit to Town long term. The stalling doesn't seem to be on contract detail at all - that's just a smokescreen - rather that Utd, having created so many rules that their new Manager has to follow have now put off the likes of Poch, Tuchel, De Serbi leaving Kieran as the candidate most likely to fall in line with what they now define as the role of the Head Coach. Really, really hope this is wrong but this elongated "we're about to announce" promise is starting to sound hollow. If this doesn't get over the line soon then Mark Ashton, who must be so frustrated with the whole situation, may find that candidates to replace Kieran - Robins, Corberan, Cooper, Potter, etc - are getting snapped up by others. I imagine the brotherhood relationship between Ashton and McKenna is now being severely tested.....and the players must be wondering what the hell is going on too...another brotherhood we don't want to see weakened. Like many on here I'm genuinely worried and starting to feel more than a little unimpressed by the silence which can only be down to KM and his agents CAA and the re-emergence of the Man Utd option.
Just how reliable is this information though ? This whole media circus has left a sour taste and the fact that the Club have made no information of any kind available doesnt help .
I’m a bit frustrated at the lack of updates regarding McKenna’s alleged new contract. However, if and when it is confirmed, in my opinion, it will be the best possible outcome from all this speculation and controversy. For me, at the moment, there was never anyone to fill his shoes. Once confirmed, he can then divert all of his attention and energy on building a squad ready for the Premiership. COYB’s.
Media circus as it is this is what people have said they wanted. Not to be a Jeremiah, but given the state of the showbiz league I'd have not been unhappy to have cherished this season and then just started again in the Championship where the fans are real, anyone can beat anyone on the day, and the media - not to mention the billion grinning armchair idiots - have no knowledge or interest.
That said, I accept I was lucky enough to have started watching in 1980 and got my share of Premier League and European fun in the 90s and 2000s - it was getting bad then, but this sort of overblown nonsense is just what happens now with this dreadful league. Kick out those six and send them into their Super League and let the rest of us get on with proper football.
How much more of ITFCs valuable time will Mckenna be allowed to take (?) Perhaps give him an ultimation whilst the powers that be at PR approach for instance Graham Potter to get things moving........
ManU seem to be taking their time to decide upon an appointment - now unlikely to happen earliest next week, apparently . What the reason behind all this is, I've no idea; but we need to get ourselves sorted now sooner rather than later. I've always thought it possible ManU could come in with another late bid for K McK, but I've no idea whether this has actually happened. There seems little doubt that our manager would ultimately like to take that job, be it now or at some time in the future. Hopefully an announcement later today will lean to the latter rather than the former.
PS: Having read the new rules the ManU manager must abide by (if we are to believe the Daily Mail, which I wouldn't normally!) I'd be surprised if any manager would be happy to accept, unless their only motivation was the money.
In my years as a Town supporter and that's from 1958 I have never ever seen this Circus that we are being put through before, what earth the players must be thinking as they have all been singing his praises and are also part of this fiasco
Some might think that if Mark Ashton - for whom we all have immense respect - continues to be humiliated much more by this circus he'd be better off bringing it to a conclusion and withdrawing the offer of a new deal. Let KM go - immensely sad though that would be - and get on with finding our next Manager. The queue would be a long one I'm sure - Club with great financial backing, with a fantastic culture, with a CEO who let's the Manager manage and who moves heaven and earth to get the right players in.....Who wouldn't want that?
If mckenna was definitely staying. A statement would be forthcoming and the contract follows But this is smelling of something else happening that's not in our favour..hope not !!
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