Fear, excitement, hope... Kieran McKenna has the ‘safest job in the Premier League’ and this stability is the foundation of Ipswich’s ongoing battle to stay up
Significant decisions were made by two Premier League clubs in the relegation zone last weekend, but Ipswich Town do not look like following suit any time soon.
Life under Kieran McKenna is going just about as expected this season.
Ipswich are 18th in the table, and while fans would naturally rather be above the dotted line, their side have shown they are up for the fight.
That was evident at Wolves on Saturday, where it was finally Ipswich’s turn to score a late goal, Jack Taylor’s stoppage-time winner proving the final nail in Gary O’Neil’s coffin.
The win prevented Ipswich from being cut adrift, while Wolves’ own fears in that regard prompted them into action.
Southampton acted, too, but with a paltry five points the dismissal of Russell Martin is unlikely to change the Saints’ destiny. The Championship beckons for them bar a miraculous turnaround.
It may then be generous to suggest there is a six-way scrap to avoid the remaining two relegation spots. West Ham are struggling but will expect to pull clear, and the same could be said for Crystal Palace and Everton, too.
Ipswich will need to drag as many clubs into a dogfight with them as possible, while Rich Woodward of the Blue Monday podcast also suggests survival could yet be dictated by the outcome of Manchester City’s 115 charges – relegation is said to be one possible outcome, although any decision is likely to be challenged either way and could go beyond this season.
“It would be good to do it outright but I will take anything to finish 17th,” Woodward says.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Kieran McKenna the head coach / manager of of Ipswich Town celebrates with the bench after Jack Taylor of Ipswich Town scores a goal to make it 1-2 during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Ipswich Town FC at Molineux on December 14, 2024 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Kieran McKenna celebrates Ipswich’s win at Wolves (Photo: Getty)
That aside, it is clear Ipswich and McKenna are learning together on the go.
The 38-year-old celebrated three years in charge on Monday, one year for every league they have played in.
A tenure that started in League One with a 1-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers has more recently seen Chelsea and Manchester United take note of McKenna’s achievements, but he knows there is time for such challenges in the future – made clear by the long-term contract he signed in May.
He’s in it for the long haul at Ipswich, Premier League or Championship, and his popularity inside Portman Road has been the foundation of a campaign where they are looking to defy the odds.
They did so at Spurs when winning 2-1, likewise when drawing 1-1 at home with Manchester United, while Woodward actually points towards an early October defeat as a pivotal moment in their season – evidence of McKenna’s pragmatism and ability to change tack, an area where Martin fell desperately, naively short at Southampton.
“We had a really tough start [losing to Liverpool and Manchester City], but the one game that has changed our season in the most significant way was the 4-1 defeat at West Ham,” Woodward says.
“McKenna’s strategy in the Championship was to go and add chaos, to attack, and that’s why we won a lot of games 3-2 and 4-3. Occasionally we got picked off, but other Championship teams couldn’t deal with us.
“That was largely the strategy he had in mind, but after we shipped four against West Ham, McKenna has found a way of making us much more solid, and we’ve been in games ever since – it’s a narrow margin, a mistake. We’ve got six League One players, and they’re still getting used to this level.”
Indeed, since the West Ham defeat was followed by a 2-0 loss to Everton, Ipswich’s most recent eight matches have either been drawn or decided by one goal.
Ipswich Town results after losing to Everton
26 Oct: Brentford 4-3 Ipswich
2 Nov: Ipswich 1-1 Leicester City
10 Nov: Tottenham 1-2 Ipswich
24 Nov: Ipswich 1-1 Man Utd
30 Nov: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Ipswich
3 Dec: Ipswich 0-1 Crystal Palace
8 Dec: Ipswich 1-2 Bournemouth
14 Dec: Wolves 1-2 Ipswich
Too many of those have been defeats for Ipswich’s liking, with Bournemouth’s late show – goals in the 87th and 90th minute to turn it around – the real killer blow, but the recent Wolves win gives them a vital lift ahead of their final three matches of 2024: home games against Newcastle and Chelsea with a trip to Arsenal in between.
“The positive is that we’ve learned and improved,” Woodward adds.
“We’ve tightened up at the back and are looking more competitive. I don’t think we have much hope for Arsenal away, but against Chelsea it could suit us.
“It’s exciting. If you look at Southampton and Leicester already sacking their manager, we could finish bottom and there’s not a chance McKenna is going, he’s got the safest job in the league I’d argue, even with Pep Guardiola [at Manchester City].”
McKenna is not alone in giving Ipswich hope, and the pillars that could yet help them stay up are present throughout the team.
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 26: Liam Delap of Ipswich Town celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Ipswich Town FC at Gtech Community Stadium on October 26, 2024 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Liam Delap’s exploits aren’t going unnoticed (Photo: Getty)
The man wanted by Chelsea, Liam Delap, suspended for Saturday’s Newcastle match, has six league goals this season and proved a battering ram against Wolves’ Nelson Semedo in the build-up to last Saturday’s opener, while captain Sam Morsy has been a consistent performer in defensive midfield, setting a standard for the rest of his teammates to follow.
Of course, though, it is worth remembering they are still 18th, with fans fearing a light squad could lead to their relegation.
“We desperately need reinforcements, a really strong January,” Woodward says.
“The sound behind the scenes is we are mobilising, and I think we have to, although it might be loans instead of £30m transfers.”
Ipswich could also do with players finishing off moves made by “assist king” Leif Davis.
The left-back produced a remarkable 21 assists in the Championship last season, and while he only has two to his name in the Premier League so far, that is not through want of trying – only Bukayo Saka (19), Cole Palmer (12) and Son Heung-min (12) have created more big chances than Davis’ 10.
The aim will be to ensure they do not regret those big chances missed come May, while in the immediate future a home match against 12th-placed Newcastle presents McKenna’s men with another shot at three points.
“It will be exciting,” Woodward adds. “The great thing about Ipswich games at the moment is that we’ve got a hope.
“We’re always capable of doing something surprising, so it’s never dull being an Ipswich fan under McKenna.”