Manchester United legend Nicky Butt has dropped the ultimate compliment on Kieran McKenna and the work that the Ipswich Town manager has done as a coach.
Kieran McKenna worked at Manchester United and Tottenham early in his coaching career before he took his first steps into management with Ipswich Town.
The 38-year-old became Ipswich manager in 2021 and the former United assistant manager has found early success during his spell at Portman Road.
McKenna took charge of Ipswich while they were in League One and the ex-Red Devils first-team coach secured back-to-back promotions with United.
Ipswich reached the Championship after their second-place finish in the 2022-23 season before managing Premier League promotion after the 2023-24 campaign.
Man Utd legend Butt on McKenna
Kieran McKenna’s superb spell at Portman Road caught the eye of Premier League clubs in the past, including Chelsea and Brighton.
However, the Ipswich boss inked a new contract with the club in the summer ahead of the 2024-25 Premier League campaign.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Nicky Butt waxed lyrical about McKenna and insisted that he is “one of the best coaches” that he has ever seen on the field.
The 49-year-old Manchester United legend claimed he would put McKenna, who was linked to the Red Devils in the past, next to any coach that he has worked alongside.
“I am telling you now, Kieran McKenna is one of the best coaches I’ve ever seen on the grass, ever,” Butt said, as per the Metro.
“I’ll put him next to anybody I’ve seen, and that’s including Carlos Quiroz, all the great coaches that I’ve worked with, Steve McClaren.
“He’s as good as any of them, but he’s having a bad time at Ipswich. Why? Because he’s in charge of a team that isn’t one of the top teams in the Premier League.
“He’s just had two promotions, so it’s going to be a difficult year for them.
“If he went in at a top team like an Arsenal or somewhere, I’m pretty sure he’d be flying. And I think that’s the honest answer.”
McKenna in Premier League with Ipswich
McKenna’s first season as a manager in the Premier League has resulted in a shaky start, with Ipswich languishing in 18th place in the league table.
Ipswich are winless in their opening 10 matches in the Premier League, with McKenna’s men managing five draws and five defeats.
McKenna’s side are only two points away from climbing out of the Premier League relegation zone, with 17th-place Crystal Palace only two points clear of Ipswich.
Ipswich will host United on 24th November at Portman Road, which will be Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim’s first match in charge at the Red Devils.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/RHniy9N