The Blues use Kieran McKenna blueprint as an example of how success can be achieved next season
Chris Davies is the man tasked with bringing Birmingham City back to the big time, following his appointment as the Blues’ new manager earlier this month.
The role at St Andrew’s is the former Tottenham Hotspur man’s first as first-team boss, having been right-hand man to Ange Postecoglou at the Premier League side last season, as well as stints behind the scenes at Leicester City and Swansea City.
The appointment of the 39-year-old may be seen as a risk in many people’s eyes following the Midlands club’s recent relegation into the third tier, but with hopes of an immediate return to the Championship next season, City will be looking to Ipswich Town as a blueprint for success.
Kieran McKenna was in a similar predicament when given his first shot in management at Portman Road in December 2021, and with the right environment to shine, the Northern Irishman has proven just what an influence a bright, young boss can have on a side with lofty ambitions.
Chris Davies and Birmingham City can learn plenty from Kieran McKenna, Ipswich Town success
It may be hard to remember now that he has steered the Tractor Boys to back-to-back promotions and on the cusp of a first Premier League season in over 20 years, but McKenna’s stint in Suffolk didn’t catch fire immediately.
After making the move from being part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s backroom team at Manchester United, the new Town boss oversaw six victories in his first eight games, before a run of just three wins in 12 league matches saw the East Anglian outfit finish in mid-table in the third tier.
For a side that had such lofty ambitions, it must have been hard to take heading into the summer of 2022 facing another season in the third tier in the face, but once the new boss was given a pre-season and the backing to bring in new recruits, they started to reap the rewards in the following campaign.
With the likes of Marcus Harness and Leif Davis joining in the summer, before Nathan Broadhead, Massimo Luongo and Harry Clarke came to the club in January 2023, McKenna was given the time and support to aid his side’s promotion push, and neither club nor manager have looked back since.
With four managers over the course of the previous campaign, time isn’t always something that the man in charge at St Andrew’s has received in recent months, but acting hastily in the upcoming campaign is unlikely to aid the Blues’ hopes of a return to the second tier at the first time of asking.
With John Eustace’s tenure cut unceremoniously short after just 11 league matches in 23/24, the decision was made to bring in Wayne Rooney, although the current Plymouth Argyle boss could only muster two wins from 15 league matches.
Tony Mowbray was then appointed to try and steady the ship, only for medical issues to keep the former Sunderland man away from footballing matters, leaving Gary Rowett to oversee the final few matches of the season, albeit with no fairytale ending.
After such a rollercoaster 12 months, what everyone at the club needs now is some stability, and if Davies is given the right support he needs in his early days in management, the decision to appoint an untested boss could be seen as a masterstroke in the future.
| Kieran McKenna Ipswich Town managerial record | |||
| Matches | 131 | ||
| Wins | 76 | ||
| Draws | 35 | ||
| Defeats | 20 | ||
| Win % | 58.0% | ||
| As of June 19th, 2024, Source: Transfermarkt | |||
McKenna has proven just how much can be achieved when a club gets things right off the pitch, and with one of the strongest pulling powers in League One next season, this summer marks the perfect opportunity for the club to rebuild and create a side capable of playing front-footed football and winning plenty of points.
Birmingham City transfer business begins with Ryan Allsopp signing from Hull City
Davies has moved this week to bring in experienced goalkeeper Ryan Allsop to the club, with the shot-stopper leaving Championship side Hull City to complete the move to St Andrew’s.
The 32-year-old lifelong Blues fan is an excellent addition for any side in the third tier, with his bagfuls of Football League experience likely to make the difference across the upcoming League One campaign.
There have been a number of other transfer rumours surrounding the club over the off-season, with the latest seeing the Blues linked with a move for Plymouth Argyle defender Dan Scarr [pictured].
The defender has experience in winning promotion from the third tier, having done so with the Pilgrims in the 22/23 campaign – in which they battled with McKenna’s Ipswich side at the top of the table – and is about to enter the final year of his current deal at Home Park.
A move for Marc Leonard has also been mooted, although there has also been plenty of interest from a number of EFL clubs for the Brighton and Hove Albion man’s signature, following his impressive loan spells at Northampton Town.
Nevertheless, with the sort of players the Blues are said to be targeting, it looks like they are going about their business the right way this summer, and if Davies is given the time to implement his style of play, the Blues could be on the right path, just as Ipswich were once they struck on the right formula with McKenna.
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