Boss Kieran McKenna says no upper limit should be put on what can be achieved at Town having signed a new four-year deal with the Blues yesterday, tying him to the club until the summer of 2027.

McKenna led Town to promotion from League One in his first full season as a manager and was pleased to commit his future to the Blues having returned from a break following the club’s May celebrations.

Pre-season training ahead of the 2023/24 season in the Championship gets under way on Monday 26th June.

“I’m delighted,” he said in a lengthy interview with the club’s in-house media. “It’s a joyous day really.

“It’s been a few weeks in the offing and I’ve been on holidays as well, so I’ve just been glad to get back yesterday and be able to get in today and sign for this wonderful football club.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time so far and it’s on to the next step now. We’ve made a lot of progress, we’re in a good direction, but I arrived here with a lot of ambition and matching the ambition that myself and [CEO] Mark [Ashton] spoke about that the ownership have and it’s about pushing on with that now.

“It’s a really good day for me and my family, very proud to continue to represent this club and very grateful for the faith that they’ve put in me.”

Quizzed on what might be possible over the next four years, McKenna reflected that ambition.

“There’s no upper limit to be put on this,” the Northern Irishman insisted. “We know what we’re going into again, we’re humble going into next season. We’re going up to what’s going to be a really competitive division and the next step is that we have to be competitive at that level and show that we can compete, and that’s the challenge.

“But beyond that, we don’t want to put an upper limit on this football club because it’s operated at the highest levels of English football before and operated at the highest level of European football before.

“You can see and feel it as soon as you come here and you can see last year when we were filling the stadium and the difference it’s making to people’s lives and the backing of the whole community, and that’s when the club is operating in League One.

“So I think there’s a massive scope for this football club to keep growing but we know how hard that’s going to be and we know there’s no guarantees.

“We’re going into the season, I’m going into the next four years humble. The players and the staff will be the same but we also certainly won’t be putting any sort of upper limit on what we can achieve here.”

Photo: Matchday Images

SuffPunch added 10:29 - Jun 17 He speaks so well, and I'm sure he will continue to progress the clubs, and his own ambitions here at Portman Road.
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parhamblue added 10:32 - Jun 17 He's right. The club realises (and I think the ownership realised while they were trying to buy it) that in the past there was always a financial constraint on our success and the club staff did the best they could. Not anymore.
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oldelsworthyfan added 10:38 - Jun 17 Could he be capable of following in the footsteps of Sir Alf? Step One achieved, getting us into the Second tier.
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MickMillsTash added 10:50 - Jun 17 No upper Limit - I'd like to see us target a Championship, FA Cup and Eurovision Treble? Greg Leigh on vocal, Broadhead dancing, Wes Burns looks like he can drum.
4

Suffolkboy added 11:19 - Jun 17 Couldn't ask for more ; K M brings integrity, honesty , enthusiasm and ambition as part of his make up ,and it's being reflected in the commitment he induces everywhere - of course alongside M A ! What a Team ITFC have from the very top down . Coub
10

Europablue added 11:24 - Jun 17 What's up with these videos being posted on Twitter and Facebook and not YouTube?
2

Nomore4 added 11:32 - Jun 17 The biggest signing and most important….ever… too be done by ITFC
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ArnieMsBigToe added 11:38 - Jun 17 What an intelligent man!! I am so looking forward to seeing who he is going to bring in this season. I think that most of the players in the existing squad are already, easily good enough for the championship. I think he may just look to strengthen further. Exciting times!!
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ArnieM added 11:48 - Jun 17 Don't laugh guys, but I'll tell you now, this whole club from the very top to the bottom are aiming for Champions League. We're only limited by our fear snd own self restraints.
15

Fat_Boy_Tim added 13:18 - Jun 17 Can I just use this, out of context, quote… “We know what we're going into again, we're humble going into next season. We're going up…” It's what he said!
2

blues1 added 15:13 - Jun 17 Fat boy Tim. Nice try, by cutting off the rest of that sentence. 👍
0

IpswichT62OldBoy added 16:08 - Jun 17 I can't wait for the fixture list to come out.
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runningout added 16:50 - Jun 17 ArnieM not laughing as a fan for too long remember the times when it was a gimmee! We are a long way off but no point in aiming low
4

WhoisJimmyJuan added 17:52 - Jun 17 Blues 1, it was a joke. Quit sniping at every opportunity.
1

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 19:09 - Jun 17 K McK is positive and articulate, but what I respect most about him is that he has a balanced view on matters and doesn't talk bulls**t. As a football manager, that's a pretty rare quality. Lucky to have him.
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warfarinman69 added 20:17 - Jun 17 We're all going on a European tour - again Give it 3 or 4 years, start saving up!!
2

foreverthebeat added 23:06 - Jun 17 There last time let's dream again all we do is produce great managers for our country but that's job done
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hyperbrit added 02:04 - Jun 18 best not to forget that it was Sheepshank's delusions of grandeur that gave us years of misery under Evans
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wischip added 10:20 - Jun 18 I feel a 2 Unlimited 90's dance anthem coming on..
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dirtydingusmagee added 11:29 - Jun 18 ITFC clearly mean business now, the Evans era is well and truly buried.KM is perfect for ITFC and hopefully is here for a long time, Im always hesitant to make comparisons but we have had two brilliant managers [and a couple of very good ones] KM is also a class act and i feel sure he will take us places that seemed to be getting further and further away past decade.

1

Bluearmy_81 added 11:40 - Jun 18 Evans gave us years of misery under Evans. That Ipswich fans apathetically put up with it for so long was disgraceful. Never again
1

Pendejo added 12:16 - Jun 18 Think he fancies his chances of getting a statue? Given he articulates intelligently, calmly and in a sensible tempered fashion; he's just hit the big red ambition button. If he takes us from 3rd tier to European football, like Sir Alf, he will have earned a statue. We probably lose the pension fund as backers on promotion to EPL, but hopefully the 3Lions remain on board for the ride.

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Northstandveteran added 14:08 - Jun 18 Indeed Wischip. It worked for Boncho Gentchev in the day 😁
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Linkboy13 added 11:25 - Jun 19 It would take a very good offer from an established Premier league club to tempt him to leave. His stock is very high at the moment but things could change quickly so you can't blame managers for taking their opportunity when it arises. I fully expect us to be pushing for the play offs next season so i can't see McKenna leaving for a few years yet.
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