Blues manager Kieran McKenna says his phone is reachable if managers of promoted clubs want to call him for advice on how to approach the increasingly tough task of making the leap from the Championship to the Premier League.

Last year’s promoted trio, Town, Leicester and Southampton, have been relegated, joining the previous year’s sides, Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United, in dropping back down after one season.

The Clarets and Leeds United have already confirmed their places in the top flight, while the Blades, Sunderland, Bristol City and Coventry currently in the play-off spots but with Millwall, Blackburn and Middlesbrough still hoping to break into the top six in the final weekend.

Asked whether he has any advice for bosses of teams coming up from the Championship, McKenna said: “My phone is reachable if anyone wants to pick it up. I certainly picked up my phone last year to teams who were in this position, as I'm sure teams did in the year before that. That's pretty common practice. Again, they will be private discussions.

“As I've said before, the gap is certainly big and getting bigger. It's clear for everyone to see what was pitched as maybe the highest-level top end of the Championship ever last season, three teams with 90-plus points for the first time, two of whom were really established Premier League clubs over the last decade and Leeds, who didn't manage to make it, also in the mix.

“Those three teams have all fallen short for different reasons this year. It's clear that the gap is big. Of course, when that happens for two seasons in a row, that's 17 teams then who have two full seasons of Premier League money and everything that comes with that. It makes it harder for everyone to catch up.

“It's not a concern. Our journey is our journey. We know how quickly it's come. 
As I've said many times, I think we'll be in a much stronger position going into next season than we have been for the previous years and certainly the previous years at Championship level.

“I'd even like to think that as a squad, with infrastructure, staffing and everything, we'll be in a strong position irrespective of league for I don't know how many years.

“We're on our own journey and we're going to try and keep progressing the club in every way. We hope that that will ultimately lead to establishing ourselves in the Premier League.

“It's day by day and it's step by step. We know what our next steps are now and we'll get ready for those in the summer and try and tackle them. We've still got a lot of belief that this club can keep progressing.”

Reflecting on what’s been learned over the course of the season, McKenna added: “I think there's been loads of lessons for everyone involved - manager, staff, players, board, supporters, everyone - about the level.

“They're too thorough to digest in one answer and one question. We've reflected as we go along. We'll reflect plenty more in the summer.

“As I’ve said before, most of the reflections are around the scale of the challenge and the task that we had, which has been a really, really big one.

“Some of it will be around the areas that we've done well, that we feel that the process has been good or we've conducted ourselves well, or we've competed well.

“And there will be areas that we think we could have done a little bit differently or that, hopefully, further down the line, we'll be in a better position as a club to make different decisions or to approach things slightly differently. There are lots of different reflection pieces.

“In terms of learning from the last four games, I think it's really important that we show our character again, as I think the group has done over the whole course of the season. How professional, how committed they are, how together they are. I think that's been the case.

“It's probably more of a challenge once it becomes a mathematical definite that you're not going to be in the division next year, but that's our responsibility.

“We've had fantastic supporters behind us all season. The responsibility as professionals is to prepare to compete as well as we possibly can in the last four games. 

“Every individual needs to show that to the best of their ability. On an individual level in the dressing room, I know the players are desperate to play as many minutes as they can and compete as well as they can. We know we're coming up against, as we have all year, but on Saturday with Everton, one of the most experienced squads in the league. 

“A lot of players have played a lot of Premier League football now. On an individual level, the players are really keen to go up against that and test themselves. It's our job to support them with that and set up in the best way that we can to be competitive and try and give the best account of ourselves.”

TWTD

flykickingbybgunn added 16:25 - May 1 I would like to ask Kieron about my Football Manager team Oakmere Town. They have just been promoted. But of my two main strikers Crawford is still banging them in but his mate Phillips seems to have gone off the boil.
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Leejames99 added 16:34 - May 1 Why does he call it group not squad all the time?
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blues1 added 16:36 - May 1 Leejames99. Bcse thats what managers say. Bcse they are a group. Not rocket science, is it.
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December1963 added 16:55 - May 1 Could someone please tell how to block an individual from appearing on the comments on my device.
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Leejames99 added 17:02 - May 1 @blues1 Pathetic, a group is made up of individuals, in sports this is called a team and a team is made up of a squad. Hence - Team Sheet and matchday squad! So when he says group it implies he wants to keep the individual players together. Not rocket science is it oh masterful 1
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Leejames99 added 17:18 - May 1 Just click on my username and block
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deano85 added 17:21 - May 1 "two of whom were really established Premier League clubs over the last decade and Leeds" I hope that was intentional
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Somersetractor added 17:28 - May 1 December 1963... click on their name and top right 'ignore'. Unfortunately they still leak through, via the comments of others moaning at/about the ignored member.
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Dissboyitfc added 18:14 - May 1 Did you read it all? “I'd even like to think that as a squad, with infrastructure, staffing and everything, we'll be in a strong position irrespective of league for I don't know how many years.
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ChestnutSe added 21:58 - May 1 Dec1963, you have to be signed in for the block to work.
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TheLoveOfWisdom added 22:53 - May 1 semantics. who gives a shiz?
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bobble added 05:31 - May 2 Hope leeds go straight back down....
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Tedray added 08:35 - May 2 Who would want to contact a failure at that level - a bit pointless in more ways than one......
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Leejames99 added 09:13 - May 2 Why would they ring you Kmk? So you rang managers of relegated clubs to say "Sorry you got relegated Mr Kompany, we have been promoted, quick question, how do I keep my job, even if we go down but I get a big move like you with no questions asked?" Kompany replied "Very simple baffle fans with these words, journey, fine margins, process, refs, big leap, fine margins again, lots of no doubt about that's, injuries, principles, lads had good day out, journey, lots of effort, more fine margins and the classic the gap is too big and never ever accept responsibility yourself then when you go to the next club just say you have left the club in a stronger position than when you arrived, it's easy, hero status and nobody is any the wiser, then at next club the players will do all the work and you look great" I dont think Scott Parker or Lampard etc be in any rush to call Kmk who has got himself cult status but the worst records in the club's history. How to get 1 win at home.

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Thegeniusofmuhren added 15:39 - May 2 Leejames99 - give 'em your number. You know more than McKenna.
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Leejames99 added 15:54 - May 2 @thegeniusofmuhren Happy too, I mean they could literally call any pundit or neutral fan. Close shop, protect lead especially at home, don't use all subs unless needed don't play a wingback who cant get back and try and get some midfielders under 30 who score goals and are physical, do not try and be Pep, just play the long ball in first season, that be a good start
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Thegeniusofmuhren added 16:15 - May 2 Leejames99 - our squad isn't/wasn't capable of defending a lead. I'm not sure you can comprehend the gap in quality between us and the rest of the league player for player. On paper, S'oton and Leicester had better squads and that includes us spending £120m. We all know it was a bonus that we got promoted and that staying up would've meant breaking PSR rules. I'm happy we've given it a go, not been overly embarrassed and have good foundations for future success. You're telling me you'd be happy to see 11 men behind the ball week in week out!? You're deluded. You are entitled to your opinion but it's the same boring rhetoric on every thread.

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Leejames99 added 17:53 - May 2 You literally just agreed with me, your absolutely right the squad wasn't good enough, you can't expect league 1 level lads who were releases from Prem clubs to then go up against superstar players. The starting line up tomorrow won't be far off the team that drew 2-2 with Fleetwood 2 seasons ago. How can you say we havent been embaressed? And needlessly call me deluded, was that nessacary? We have broken worst records in club history , won one game at home and since Muric was dropped, injured conceeded more goals than I can imagine, average is 3 a game now.so you are right we arent good enough and we couldnt beat Saints or Leicester and will probaly finish below them, we could see out games with the right players, the subs and tactics with Davis is our downfall seeing out games. It's not the same rhetoric, I agree we have good foundations to continue success, do I think that will be with Mckenna, Morsy, Burns, Davis...no I don't, in fact I can't wait until that chapter is closed now and taken its place in club history. Best time for Kmk to go before fans turn on him when results turn sour. Total refresh needed in my opinion. Respect your opinion don't think deluded is needed

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