Ashton: The Nature of the Manager's Job Has Changed
Friday, 19th Jun 2026 18:00

Kieran McKenna isn’t the only top-level manager who has recently opted to take some time away from football, TWTD asked Blues chairman and CEO Mark Ashton what he believes might be behind a number of bosses taking a hiatus.

Town fans were shocked last week when the club announced McKenna was set to step down after a phenomenal four and a half years in charge to take a break from the game.

A few days beforehand, former Spurs and Brentford head coach Thomas Frank had similarly said he is taking time away before looking at a new job, while ex-Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior is also reported to be having some downtime.

“I think the nature of the manager’s job has changed,” Ashton reflected. “The volume of games, the intense media scrutiny.

“It’s a really good question. The way that managers approach their role at the moment, particularly the ‘new breed’ of manager, and I’d put Kieran in the new breed of manager, they’re all-in. They’re very technical, they do a lot of the detail themselves.

“There’s a lot more analytics in the game now, a lot more data in the game now. They’ve got to do all of that, and that’s tough.

“It is a tough job. It is interesting that there is a little bit of a trend where people are saying, ‘look, I just want to take a breather and come back again’.

“Kieran was really clear that that was what he wanted to do. He was really clear with me that whatever the media noise is I’m not going to this club, I’m not going to that club. If I’m going to go, I’m going to take some time, and I respect that and I think that’s genuinely what he will he will do.”

Photo: TWTD

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tetchris added 18:26 - Jun 19 The fact they are extremely well paid and get good severance pay makes it a lot easier to walk away and take a break not having to worry where the next mortgage payment is coming from
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Monkey_Blue added 18:29 - Jun 19 So Kieran said to Ashton he’s going elsewhere. That’s a reveal.
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armchaircritic59 added 18:36 - Jun 19 It wouldn't come as a huge surprise to me if KM ended up taking an elite coaching position as opposed to being a manager, somewhere high profile. He's proved himself in that particular department in spades. Would keep him out of the goldfish bowl too. Just a thought only.
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Jonathan_Charles added 18:36 - Jun 19 He told Ashton he was not going to another club
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blues1 added 19:03 - Jun 19 Monkey Blue. Maybe it would help if you actuallycread the story.
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backwaywhen added 19:57 - Jun 19 McKenna is probably protecting his own health and of those loved ones around him , it is so easy to go over the edge if your not careful, we hear about it all the time in general life . His wife and family probably said enough is enough, he looked washed out at the end , take that break fella and the world could be your oyster in the future.
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Nutkins_Return added 20:24 - Jun 19 Zero chance armchair. Mckenna is incredibly motivated and ambitious. He will probably ly.take.some time out but he will be taking a step up managerial role next. Zero question in my mind.
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muhrensleftfoot added 20:33 - Jun 19

I'm desperately sorry he's left, but fully understand. He didn't leave for Fulham, Palace, Bournemouth etc. He's a coach that puts everything into it, probably at cost to his family. The fact that he's left for time out means he's at the top of his trade and much loved and respected at ITFC. Another season struggling in the Premier League under constant media scrutiny might well have damaged his reputation and even caused him family and health issues.

EatonBlue added 21:10 - Jun 19 I think that there is a case for reducing the number of teams in the EFL leagues to 20 and adding a third division by promoting eight teams from the National League.
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Ipswich1977 added 21:50 - Jun 19 EatonBlue, completely agree with you and have said this for a long, long time.
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Bazza8564 added 21:56 - Jun 19

I was at Christchurch Park for the celebration on May 5th, and he looked relaxed and fine. He returned from holiday looking like the weeks away had told him something wasn't right with his health, and his videos last week showed a man who was in need of space. Burn out is tough, and it's bloody tough to admit to.

Give him some time. I think he will be back in time but I also think people who have no experience of stress related illness need to think very carefully before they comment and criticise.

Lightningboy added 22:35 - Jun 19 It's their lookout if they want to stat themselves up to the eyeballs...(does my head in,XG being the most stupid thing ever). I wonder sometimes how the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson managed to win so much without the aid of a little pitch side screen & sports science team behind him.
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RoyalAscotBlue added 08:30 - Jun 20 Of course, it helps that they’re all multi millionaires and don’t have to worry about money. Players will start to go the same way soon. Why work when you don’t need to. One day people will realise just how counter intuitive it was to flood the game with so much money.
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AYACCA added 08:35 - Jun 20 Too much in and around football. It's a game, it was just as much fun for all in the 80s as it is now
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blueboy1981 added 09:56 - Jun 20

Few Managers have input to Player signings these days - similar to I suspect McKenna was given whatever Ashton decided to sign.
All wrong in my opinion - a Football Manager at any level knows what he needs to build in terms of a successful team.
Otherwise he’s only working on someone else’s provision.
It happens - but WRONG !!
If Ashton knows best, let him Manager his very own signings, and success or failure.
May not be the case at ITFC - but indications are such …. !!

RetroBlue added 16:20 - Jun 20 So why did Ashton in several of his interviews state quite categorically that "Kieran tells me who hed like and we try to make it happen".
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armchaircritic59 added 18:05 - Jun 20 Nutkins Return, I did say it wouldn't come as a huge surprise, I didn't say he wouldn't take another managerial role after some time out. You may be spot on, just depends how he feels about everything. Some people in every walk of life, prefer a happier life rather than a very stressful life. I'm sure he'll make a proper go of whatever he decides.
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Crawfordsboot added 18:51 - Jun 20

Blueboy - what rubbish. If you think Town brought in their signings with no input from KM you are deluded. You only have to read the tributes from the players who thanked him for bringing them to the club etc. to know that is not the case. Also Town were desperate to keep him so gave him a contract to do just that. In that context it would be utter madness to lumber him with players he didn’t want and thereby risk losing him.
You make a statement as if it is general practice and then build an argument about Town. There may be cases of boards signing a player of two solely for commercial reasons but i have seen no sign of that at Town.

Crawfordsboot added 20:42 - Jun 20 Also if you read Ashtons comments in the post on here about being down the road on a number of deals he says “And we’re at the point now where I think we’ve got a lot of deals to where we need to get them but a manager now needs input”
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Radlett_blue added 13:59 - Jun 21 Maybe Gary O'Neil will be getting some down-time early in the new year?
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Carberry added 09:42 - Jun 22 Frank and Rosenior were sacked, that's the relevant difference, so they are sitting there still being paid more than they would be at their next club. As soon as they take another job the compensation stops. So it is no hardship for them to take a break. It isn't becoming a trend, just more Ashton BS.
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