McKenna: Nothing to Say On Bournemouth Links
Tuesday, 14th Apr 2026 22:48 by Kallum Brisset

Town boss Kieran McKenna refused to be drawn into discussing reported interest from Bournemouth ahead of their upcoming managerial vacancy.

Earlier in the day, McKenna was reported to be one of the leading candidates to replace Andoni Iraola at the Vitality Stadium, after the Spaniard announced he would depart the club at the end of the season.

Former RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose and Rayo Vallecano manager Iñigo Pérez are also understood to be on the radar of the Dorset club when Iraola departs the Cherries after three seasons at the club this summer.

McKenna, who is believed to have a £5 million release clause in his Blues contract, has two years remaining on his current deal at Portman Road having penned new terms following promotion to the Premier League in 2024.

After Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat to Portsmouth, the Town boss insisted his full focus is on helping achieve a second promotion to the top flight in three seasons.

“I’ve got nothing to say on that,” McKenna said. “I’ve got no interest in discussing or thinking about that at the moment. It’s such an important time for us here and it’s full focus on our goals.

“Focus is just on such an important stage of the season with us right here.”

Photo: Matchday Images

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Bluecasp added 22:52 - Apr 14 Someone send Bournemouth tonights game.
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Radlett_blue added 22:54 - Apr 14 This implies that McKenna would consider the Bournemouth job if offered it. Would be an ideal move for him - an established PL club with a much better squad than Town. Let's hope he takes us back up first!
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armchaircritic59 added 22:54 - Apr 14 I expect Bournemouth have a list as long as the Amazon, just one name. If KM's genuinely interested, then for his sake I hope no one from the Cherries was watching tonight.
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BlueNomad added 22:58 - Apr 14 If we don’t go up I suspect he’ll be off somewhere. Bournemouth have an absolutely amazing training ground which will be more important to a manager than the stadium they only see twenty -odd times a season.
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churchmans added 23:00 - Apr 14 It makes no difference to the club if goes after the season wether we are up or still in tne division! The club will appoint another decent manager and back him to tne msximum revenue we can
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chepstowblue added 23:43 - Apr 14 Bournemouth are a magnificently run club who play very exciting, free flowing football. Whilst he's a great man who has achieved great things for us, McKenna has presided over a team that whilst second in the table have been pretty awful this season. I cannot see Bournemouth being interested.
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armchaircritic59 added 00:43 - Apr 15

churchmans, as my late Mother used to say sometimes, " There's as big a fish in the sea that ever came out ". I've seen all the managers come and go, one way or another since Sir Alf. ITFC is still here and functioning and it always will be.

Chepstowblue, while I expect some might mark you down for the second part of that post, whether they like it or not, there is at least some truth in there, and I offer tonight as a prime example.

thepommylump added 01:20 - Apr 15 He was great getting us to the Premier league, his performance since has hardly been awe inspiring, I would be surprised if Bournemouth would want him.
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Rimsy added 07:35 - Apr 15 Be very surprised if any Pl club would be interested in him, after watching the dire football we've seen for the last 2 seasons.
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jas0999 added 07:42 - Apr 15

When you look at KMs PL record it’s woeful. If he can’t achieve automatic promotion in a very very poor championship, he will have failed again. After last night, I’ve seriously got my doubts whether he will achieve the only acceptable aim. Will anyone pay £5M for that? He’s been tactically beaten by many many poor managers this season. He’s been pretty poor in all honesty.

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rossi added 08:01 - Apr 15 How ridiculous to suggest that Bournemouth would be interested in McKenna, let alone a leading candidate. Pure journalistic nonsense, The only way they would be interested is if they have ambitions to be relegated next season .
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blues1 added 09:23 - Apr 15 Rossi. What an absolutely pathetic and ridiculous comment. Showing a total lack of football knowledge
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fifeblue added 11:17 - Apr 15

Bournemouth is NOT an established Premier League club. Their patchy form is demonstrative of a club, a very small club in comparison to Ipswich Town, that would be candidates for relegation most seasons. Why on earth would McKenna go to a club that has virtually zero chance of winning anything. Short term gain never gets you anywhere. Ipswich Town is a long term project with far more prospects than any outside the very richest clubs. At Ipswich, he has the chance of becoming a true legend but at Bournemouth simply disappearring into obscurity.

Broadbent23 added 12:21 - Apr 15 Bournemouth are a seaside team that got lucky with their manager and players. They are preparing to build a slightly bigger ground but their ideology is still small. KMc when he is ready will only go to a much bigger club. Hopefully if promotion is gained KMc will stay.
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FreddySteady added 13:14 - Apr 15 Some negative, snarky comments about Bournemouth on here. Like Brentford and Brighton, they’re a well established well run premier league team. I don’t think KM will go but it could easily be a good fit for him if the circumstances are right.
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55015Deltic added 16:57 - Apr 15

A nothing Club and a stepping stone to go elsewhere. What’s the point?
If McKenna wants a reality check and challenge - he will stay.
If he thinks ITFC can’t be fixed by him and he hasn’t got the experience or skills to improve us he will go elsewhere.
Our Recruitment has been the problem over the last 2 years more than anything else.
Mind you not sure why Hirst is in the 1st Team.
McKenna has so much to prove - he’s done very little in last 2 years, there’s no attraction.

55015Deltic added 17:01 - Apr 15 Every Appointment that comes up the Media link McKenna to take the job. He never gets offered the job so that tells you the answer. Expect it will be Newcastle next!!
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tetchris added 17:39 - Apr 15 He is nowhere good enough to be a PL manager based on some of his tactical decisions. If he doesn’t get town promoted again this season or possibly next then I think we should look for someone else. There’s only so many if his pre and post match interviews I can take…..yawn!
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blueoutlook added 18:48 - Apr 15 No one in the Prem will want him. He can’t get 200 million pounds of players to perform. Most weeks even when we win we look blo0dy awful. One plan,nothing else, same over and over again. I think he has been sussed out.
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