Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna reacts to Celtic speculation

Ange Postecoglou Ruled Out of Celtic Return as McKenna Responds to Speculation

Sky Sports News earlier today effectively ruled Ange Postecoglou out of contention for the vacant Celtic managerial position following Brendan Rodgers’ departure earlier this week.

That report appeared to have all the hallmarks of Postecoglou’s representatives making it known that their client has no interest in returning to Celtic—particularly after being dismissed from both Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest in recent months.

Historically, Postecoglou has never been one to return to a former club, and he likely still harbours ambitions beyond what many view as the limited stage of the Scottish Premiership.

He’s also well aware of the issues that led to Rodgers’ frustration with the Celtic board and understands that making a meaningful impact in Europe would be a major challenge, given the club’s lack of ambition at boardroom level.

Having seen “under the bonnet” during his previous spell in Glasgow, Ange knows precisely how Celtic PLC operates.

With Postecoglou seemingly out of the picture, attention has shifted toward Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna, who quickly emerged as an early favourite. However, his comments at today’s Ipswich press conference—reported by ITFC Published—suggest he’s not entertaining the speculation.

“It’s not something I’ve given any thought to or where any part of my concentration is,” McKenna said. “My focus is on Ipswich. I’m really privileged to be in the position that I am.”

While not a flat-out denial, McKenna’s comments indicate he hasn’t engaged with any discussions about the Celtic role. That could change if Celtic were to make formal contact with Ipswich, typically following informal conversations between agents to gauge interest. Until that happens, McKenna’s response was exactly what you’d expect.

When asked if he grew up supporting Celtic, McKenna sidestepped the question:

“We all have different affinities with different clubs,” he said, acknowledging that Celtic is “a really big club.”

So, perhaps that’s a yes—though McKenna wasn’t about to say it outright.

He continued:

“I don’t think everyone has to go around announcing what clubs they support. But of course, it’s a really big club. We’re at a crucial stage of the season, so I haven’t been watching much other football this week.

I haven’t watched the Carabao Cup or too much else apart from QPR’s games this season.”

Meanwhile, Martin O’Neill’s odds for the Celtic job have shortened considerably after a strong start last night, as Celtic impressed with an entertaining and attacking 4–0 win over Falkirk at Celtic Park—the kind of football supporters love to see.

Further details from McKenna’s press conference were provided by journalist Ben Jacobs, who shared the full transcript of his remarks regarding the Celtic speculation:

“We’ve got a lot of Scottish representatives here today! It’s not something [the Celtic vacancy] I’ve given any thought to, or where any part of my concentration is.

I have a special job here at a special football club. It’s a massive club. We’re at a really important stage of the season starting on Saturday at QPR.

My focus has been 100% on the group here. My focus is honestly just on Ipswich. I know the size and significance of this football club, so there’s no time or space to discuss any other club.

I’ve not had any formal conversations [with Celtic]. My focus is here. I’ll work here as if I’m going to be here forever—and I’ve done that since the day I arrived. This was always a long-term project, and we’re still right in the middle of it.

[Celtic] is a really big football club. Growing up, we all have our affinities, but I don’t think everyone needs to go around announcing the clubs they support. Of course, it’s a huge club, but we’re in a really busy stage of our season.”

When asked about reports of a £5 million release clause in his contract, McKenna smiled and replied: