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Ipswich Town‘s return to the Premier League hasn’t been quite as smooth as their last. After gaining promotion back in 2000, the Tractor Boys went on to surprise everyone and finish fifth, qualifying for the UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) in their first season back to England’s top division.
This time around, however, things aren’t going quite so well. After nine games played, Kieran McKenna‘s newly-promoted side remain without a win and sit 18th in the table with just four points to their name. That’s the same number of points that Burnley had – and one less than Luton Town had – at the same stage last season, and both were relegated.
Premier League legend Alan Shearer thinks the writing is already on the wall for McKenna’s side.
“When you look at the stats, unless every single thing improves, they have no chance of staying in this league,” Shearer said, speaking on Match of the Day. “If they aren’t bottom then they are second bottom in almost everything: shots, shots on target, expected goals, touches in the opposition box, goals conceded and errors leading to goals.”
“Those stats tell you everything you need to know.”
McKenna still has the backing of Ipswich board
Despite his side’s poor start to the campaign, McKenna’s job at Ipswich is not at risk. At least that’s according to a new report from Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, who claim to have been told by sources that the Northern Irishman still has the backing of the Ipswich board as the club make a ‘sack decision’.
Football Insider’s report says that the powers that be at Ipswich think McKenna has done a “remarkable” job to date and feel the club have been unlucky in the top flight so far this term.
McKenna, 38, pledged his long-term future to the club earlier this year, signing a four-year worth £3 million per annum. He said at the time of penning the deal in May: “We have enjoyed incredible success together over the last two seasons and I’m excited to have the opportunity and responsibility of leading this fantastic club into its first season in the Premier League in 22 years.”
McKenna’s Ipswich career so far
McKenna took charge of Ipswich in December 2021 when the club were in League 1 after leaving his role as Manchester United’s assistant manager. It was his first senior job in management.
In his first full season at Portman Road, he guided Ipswich to a second place finish to secure automatic promotion to the Championship. He then repeated that feat in his second season to seal a historic return to England’s top flight for the East Anglian club.
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Winning promotion saw McKenna beat both Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta to last season’s League Managers Association’s Manager of the Year award. So far, however, despite McKenna and Ipswich seemingly being a match made in heaven, it appears that the Premier League is too big of a step-up for both the young manager and the club.
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