McKenna says Ipswich departure felt right as he weighs next move
Kieran McKenna says he chose to leave Ipswich after their promotion back to the Premier League because the moment felt right, and he wanted to step away while the club was on a high. Five months into his break, he says he has no regrets and is enjoying time with his family while considering what his next role in football might be.
The 40-year-old spent four and a half seasons at Ipswich, taking them from League One to the top flight and then securing promotion again after relegation. He describes the 2025-26 campaign as his hardest, saying the club had to bring together a changing squad to avoid a damaging slide. Since September, he has visited Bayern Munich, Wigan Warriors and Colorado Rapids, studied languages and games, and is set to work as a Uefa technical observer; he says he is in no rush to return as a manager.
- McKenna left Ipswich after securing promotion to the Premier League.
- He is taking a career break and spending time with family.
- Club visits and Uefa work are helping him prepare for his next move.
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Kieran McKenna spent four and a half years as manager of Ipswich Town, transforming the club's fortunes during that period. He took them from League One (the third tier of English football) to the Premier League, oversaw their relegation, and then led them back to promotion to the top flight.
McKenna departed Ipswich after securing that latest promotion, saying the moment felt right to step away. He has enjoyed five months away from the game with his family and has no regrets about his decision. The 40-year-old is now considering his next move in football management, though he says he is in no rush.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
McKenna achieved an extraordinary feat by taking Ipswich from League One to the Premier League, and stepping away at this peak reflects sound judgment about career sustainability and avoiding burnout in an intense profession. Leaving before the inherent difficulties of Premier League consolidation allows both manager and club natural transition points rather than waiting for inevitable decline.
The case against
A manager's core responsibility is seeing through the most challenging phases of the project with the players who depend upon him; by departing immediately after promotion rather than navigating Ipswich's Premier League consolidation, McKenna arguably abandons the work at its most critical juncture. The true test of his tenure is whether the club can sustain itself at the top flight, and his departure risks the regression that typically undermines newly promoted teams, potentially wasting the foundation he built.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “‘I wanted to depart in the best way possible’: Kieran McKenna on Ipswich exit and future plans”.