Town boss Kieran McKenna is reportedly on the radar of Scottish champions Celtic as they look for a new manager to replace Ange Postecoglou, who left to take the Tottenham job yesterday.

According to the Daily Record, the Parkhead club are targeting Manchester City assistant coach Enzo Maresca but with a number of other options, including McKenna, also under consideration.

Maresca, 43, is said to be keen to return to frontline management but with nothing likely to happen until after City’s Champions League final with Inter Milan on Saturday.

Former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter is another to have been linked with the role along with Bodo Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen, while speculation that Brendan Rodgers might make a return to Glasgow now appears less likely.

Maresca, who was previously boss at Parma and has also had spells as assistant at West Ham, Ascoli and Sevilla, has also been linked with the vacancy at Leicester City in recent days with McKenna having been similarly mentioned as among the potential alternatives for the Foxes.

Both reports appear little more than speculation at this stage, although McKenna’s success with the Blues and growing reputation within the game certain to draw serious interest from elsewhere at some stage. Recently relegated Leeds United are another club who are searching for a manager and McKenna will similarly be among those in their thoughts as they look to fill their vacancy.

The Northern Irishman, 37, is currently contracted to the Blues until the summer of 2025 having taken charge in December 2021.

Asked whether Town are looking at extending his contract in March, CEO Mark Ashton told TWTD: “I think we all want to see Kieran here for the foreseeable future. He’s happy, he’s got a job to do.

“We don’t really talk about it. That will take care of itself at the right time. But I think one of our biggest strengths is our stability.

“I think you’ve seen me now, I’m not wild in my decision-making, we’re processed, we try and be methodical.

“That steady calmness of the overall club is key and I think if you look at both the Championship and the Premier League this year, they’ve been wilder than I can remember, wilder than I have ever seen before.

“There are a number of clubs who have appointed two managers in quick succession. Are they appointing a young manager? Are they appointing a coach? Are they appointing a more senior manager? What’s the DNA of the football club?

“And I think as a manager, and I’m not talking about Kieran specifically, just a manager, sometimes it’s not about the club, it’s about the people. And I think here, you’ve got a blend of both.

“You’ve got an incredibly historic, big, passionate football club with solid rock steady people, who are going to steer a steady ship and give the manager, as I say to Kieran, the oxygen to do his job.

“I’m not at the training ground every day. He never gets a conversation with me about picking the team, it’s his domain.

“I know what my role is, he knows what his role is and we work professionally together to get the best from the football club, that’s exactly the way it should be.

“He doesn’t need me watching training every day, although he happily says to come and watch. But I’ve got all this to do. We’ve got professionals there to support each other. I’d like to see him and his staff here for the long term.”

Photo: Pagepix

Juggsy added 09:47 - Jun 7 and so it begins ....
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joyousblue added 09:51 - Jun 7 Phil i think we all knowby now he is a northern irishman how many times between you and the overpriced evening star ( printed in norwich), it must be the most repeated description ever , ps its just another fill in story they took on an australian , but he did come with a pedigree , its just anotherstory to while away the dull period ,
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blues1 added 09:58 - Jun 7 Yawn. Yawn. Getting boring now. Rubbish football media sites and newspaper journalists linking KMK with every job that becomes available. Yes, I know its what they do, but lets be honest. He's done an amazing job so far. But he's been a manager for 18 months at lge1 level. Does that mean he's ready to go into jobs at a higher level? Maybe, but if u were a club owner, would you take that kind of risk on an fairly inexperienced manager? Doubtful I'd say. Especially when there are more experienced managers available.And he joined this club bcse it was a project that appealed to him. Would he really want to leave without achieving his goal? Now, im not saying it couldnt happen, nothing surprises me in football nowadays. But, I just don't see it. Maybe tho, thats just me hoping beyond all hope, it doesn't happen.

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MidlandBlue25 added 09:59 - Jun 7 Both Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon are from Northern Ireland. That will not be a factor in him not taking the job as I'm sure McKenna played gaelic football.
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JewellintheTown added 10:13 - Jun 7 We need to get McKenna a stealth suit to avoid radar detection.
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ElephantintheRoom added 10:15 - Jun 7 Surely any of these clubs would be more likely to target the Plymouth manager who did a bit better with £20million less.
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Rozeeboy74 added 10:31 - Jun 7 Even without my blue tinted glasses on, and taking money out of the equation, would he move to a 1 club league (OK at a push 2 clubs) when the roadmap at Ipswich is so promising? CL would be a an attraction (before being dumped into the EL) but are the 4 games against Rangers fulfilling enough as the day job?
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Nomore4 added 10:34 - Jun 7 If reports true….can't see him turning down Celtic…..
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afcfee added 10:36 - Jun 7 ElephantintheRoom Not really as it will be the style and fashion of which we beat teams that will have him noticed. We had double Plymouths goal difference remember. Celtic is probaly the main one we need to worry about as I'm not sure he has enough experience for a Prem team to gamble on him but celtic are bigger than most those prem teams and will be a massive lure for a guy from Ireland.

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Nazemariner added 10:43 - Jun 7 let's be honest, if Celtic make him a serious offer he'll be off.
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Europablue added 10:50 - Jun 7 If KM were going to go he may have been tempted by Spurs. They are so badly run that they probably wouldn't even think of approaching him. What job will come up where there is stability? KM is a great manager, but he's come to a club that was set up for success. No offense, but Celtic is a stepping-stone job as we could be, the difference being that we could become an established Prem team and KM could grow with us. The balance of power changes very quickly, within a couple of years we could be in the Prem with Leeds or Leicester stuck in the Championship.

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dyersdream added 10:56 - Jun 7 Steven Gerard's available
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Europablue added 10:57 - Jun 7 blues1 we took the risk on an inexperienced manager. It's probably the best way to do it. He gets to grow into the job as the club moves up the leagues. Otherwise, you have to hire a manager and replace him once he reaches his ceiling then hope that everything gels. You only have to look at teams like Watford to see that you run out of luck if you keep replacing managers. CEOs and Chairmen should be looking for someone like KM, but not KM because he's not a good prospect. There is no way KM will move to a Mid to bottom table Championship club like Norwich and there is no way he will go to Leeds or the like and not have a crack at the league with his own team.

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Orraman added 11:04 - Jun 7 If Kieran continues to show his coaching/managing abilities as Ipswich progress up the football leagues he will also learn much more along the way. He already has inside knowledge of how top clubs like Man Utd and Spurs operate behind the scenes and he knows he is at a club that is upwardly mobile with a support that adores him and a board that have virtually zero interference in his plans. Why would he want to jeopardise his future career prospects by jumping too soon? He will undoubtedly at some point end up at a real top club but until then I am sure he has the intelligence and common sense to wait until he feels that he can take on such a challenge successfully.

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PhuketPete added 11:17 - Jun 7 I understand this is a story it's also BORING. KM isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The giant clubs won't take a risk on him yet and why would he see any other side below the EPL top 6-8 as being a better option than he already has here. Great infra, management, owners, squad and supporters… all oozing with confidence. Stability but with money to improve further. Almost certainly knocking on door of EPL next season (definitely the one after). Also noting he didn't rent a house here and leave his young family up north. He moved them down here and bought a family home. He may not stay as long as SBR but he could be with 5-6 years and who knows after that he could be Town's 3rd managerial gift to the England job. Meantime we need relax and enjoy the summer and pre season.

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IpswichT62OldBoy added 11:18 - Jun 7 Who is to say that in 5 years we are not a top 6 club, we have been before. If it happens it will be a natural growth and development with KMcK as manager, we will grow together. Not unlike Sir Bobby.
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PhuketPete added 11:30 - Jun 7 Exactly Ipswich T62OB. SAR 8 years Div 3 to Div 1 Champs. SBR. 13 years Div 1 whole time but FAC, UEFA Cup and robbed of league title twice. GB. 8 years (plus 12 as a player). Play-off success at 4th time via Wembley and then a 5th place in EPL. KMcK….??? Hopefully he follows the above and not the likes of Steven Gerard, Frank Lampard and a host of other too much too soon managers.

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joyousblue added 11:37 - Jun 7 Nazemariner, do you really think so little of mckenna , that you think he is obseesed by money, look at gerard won things withrangers , could not cut it withvilla ,the scottishleague is a poor league through no fault of thier own , just the lack of money , only real game is rangers , the average attendance is 16.000 excluding rangers n celtic , you really think he would want what is div/ 1 and 2attendances, he will go on to a top club in the premier league , but he is young , he will actually get better if thats poss , and he sees ipswich as a project snd loves the club , so get out of herewith a stupid comment he will go if the offer is right

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Europablue added 11:53 - Jun 7 PhuketPete The difference between Gerard and Lampard is that KM had been a top coach for over a decade before he got his shot at first-team management.
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blues1 added 11:56 - Jun 7 Europablue. Yes, we did, but we were in lge1. Not the spl. Where despite it pretty much being a 2 team lge, is still far more pressure on a manager to succeed, if at celtic or rangers. So really don't see them taking that risk. Nor in fact, would I see mckenna taking that risk this early in his management career. And yes, I know rangers took gerrard, but that was at a time when they still on their way back. Not celtic, having just won the treble

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afcfee added 11:56 - Jun 7 Lots of hopium in here, if Celtic want him they get him it is that simple
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blues1 added 11:58 - Jun 7 Eiropablue. Yes,and gerrard had been coaching for a few years at liverpool as well. Not as if he went into the rangers job, totally cold.
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afcfee added 11:58 - Jun 7 You guys really think they go for plymouth manager over ours?? LOL We are best performing team in Europe! Put some respect on KM name!
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Fat_Boy_Tim added 12:09 - Jun 7 I've also read that he's on Leicester's ‘radar' but I don't think anything short of a top Prem job would turn his head at the moment. Also, we are hoping to sign Hurst but can you imagine anyone here seriously getting excited about signing a striker who can't get into the Celtic side? The standard of the old firm is about top half Chanpionship at best. They have big crowds but they only need to beat Aberdeen to get in the Champions league. I'd say more than half the Championship have more competitive wage budgets that either of them.

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afcfee added 12:18 - Jun 7 Fat_Boy_Tim Well the last striker we signed who couldn't get in the Celtic team didn't do too bad for us did he! But seriously for an Irishman Celtic is what Real Madrid And Barca is To the south Americans
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