adminExclusive: Don Goodman Delivers Major Ipswich Town and Kieran McKenna Update Amid Premier League Links
By Ian King | 12 minutes ago
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna had been linked with a move to Brentford earlier this summer, but those rumours have been put to rest following the club’s appointment of Keith Andrews as head coach.
The Tractor Boys faced a period of uncertainty after their relegation from the Premier League, with speculation that their highly-rated manager might be poached by a top-flight side. However, with Brentford—the last major Premier League club with a vacancy—now appointing Andrews, stability appears to be returning to Portman Road.
Don Goodman: Brentford Was the Real Threat
Speaking to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman reassured Ipswich fans about McKenna’s future.
> “The Brentford job was the really dangerous one that Ipswich fans needed to worry about. Obviously, Keith Andrews has got it now, so Ipswich fans can probably breathe easy that Kieran McKenna will remain,” Goodman said.
He added that McKenna is still in an ideal position to continue his impressive journey with Ipswich in the Championship.
> “It’s an excellent opportunity for him to go again. Knowing the Championship as he does, I think they have one of the strongest squads in the league. I’d expect them to be pushing for automatic promotion again.”
McKenna Best Suited to Stay with Ipswich
Goodman believes few opportunities could tempt McKenna away right now, especially with Ipswich offering both stability and ambition.
> “It’s hard to see a better fit than Ipswich for McKenna at this point. I’ve said before—I think he’s in the right place and will be fully motivated to lead them through another brilliant season.”
Ipswich’s Challenging Premier League Return
After back-to-back promotions from League One, Ipswich were tipped to struggle in the Premier League—and so it proved. They ended the 2024–25 season in 19th place, winning just 4 games and finishing 16 points behind 17th-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite the tough campaign, McKenna’s stock remained high. The Independent previously reported that Brentford considered McKenna as a candidate after Ipswich’s relegation but believed he had even greater ambitions within the Premier League.
With Brentford now appointing from within—promoting former set-piece coach Keith Andrews—it ends Premier League speculation for McKenna. Ipswich fans can now look forward to seeing their manager stay and focus on launching another promotion push in 2025–26.
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