Ipswich Town Legend George Burley Sadly Kicks The Bucket @67 Although there are benefits for United supporters, the Americans could eventually “force” the Englishman to sell his shares should they wish to facilitate a full sale. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS agreed on a deal to take over football operations from the Glazer family in December 2023 for over £1 billion. Since then, they have changed the club and the way it operates.
Over the past two seasons, as he has led Ipswich Town from League One obscurity to the Premier League, Kieran McKenna’s stock has skyrocketed. His achievements have not gone unnoticed, and Manchester United is among the suitors who have naturally taken notice of him.
In just two seasons, the Northern Irishman has assembled a free-scoring team that has nearly 200 league goals to their credit, enough for a combined 194 points. Since joining the Portman Road team in December 2021, McKenna has led the Premier League’s dominant Manchester United to 76 victories in his 131 appearances.
Now, in the middle of the mayhem and uncertainty at Old Trafford, McKenna is being connected to a spectacular managerial comeback, taking over for the under-fire Erik ten Hag. The big question that this apparent interest raises is whether Kieran McKenna should turn down the Manchester United position.
Twenty-three full-time managers have led Manchester United; current manager Ten Hag is the team’s fifth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club just under eleven years ago. The team has seen a dramatic downturn since the 13-time champion left Old Trafford, and they are currently well behind the leaders in terms of taking home the championship.
United has spent an incredible £1.2 billion on transfer fees for players who haven’t been able to return the team to its former glory since Ferguson announced his retirement. The board has hired egotistical people on enormous salaries who haven’t produced much. Would the “stars” take a manager without any playing experience from a “smaller” club?
The answer to that question is evident, according to a story from The Mirror: the players at Old Trafford did not select McKenna. The Ipswich manager was allegedly called “dry and school-teacherly” during his previous tenure at United, and concerns were expressed about his high position in comparison to his modest playing career.
With these uncertainties and ideas permeating the locker room, the Northern Irishman would begin any new position at Old Trafford as the captain of a team that doesn’t believe in him. From the start, the position—which is among the most demanding in all of football—would be practically impossible to hold.
