Ex-Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has been linked with Fulham yet again (Image: Ross Halls)
Ex-Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has been linked with Fulham yet again (Image: Ross Halls)
Former Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is once again in the frame to take over as Fulham manager, according to reports.
The Northern Irishman was linked with the Craven Cottage vacancy over the summer, while still in charge of the Blues, but he opted to step down and take a break from football instead.
He has since spent time watching other teams train and play, and will begin as a UEFA technical observer this week, starting with tomorrow’s clash between Shakhtar Donetsk and AEK Athens at Stamford Bridge.
Fulham, on the other hand, turned to former Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa, who is already under pressure after just six game – with his side sitting bottom off the Premier League.
The Cottagers have just two points to their name and were beaten by Ipswich at Portman Road on Saturday, thanks to a late turnaround via goals from Abdoul Ouattara and Dara O’Shea.
Various outlets have claimed that Arbeloa now has two games – against newly-promoted sides Coventry City (H) and Hull City (A) to save his job.
TalkSPORT have revealed that McKenna is a contender for the job once again, although it is widely believed that Fulham would still have to pay Town his £8m release clause if they appoint him this season.
Alvaro Arbeloa is under pressure after a winless start in charge of the Cottagers (Image: Ross Halls)
Former Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has also been linked.
On when he might return to management, he told The Guardian: "I’m certainly in no rush. I’m enjoying the time I’m having and hopefully an opportunity will come along that’s right. I have an idea what that would feel like but football doesn’t always follow your plan.
"I want to enjoy the time we have now, take this period to reflect and be in the best position I can for the next role.”
And on what type of club he could join, he added: "I’m always going to want to be somewhere where I can improve players, play attacking football and win games.
“But beyond that I’m a manager who wants to enjoy having that connection with a club, a community, trying to build something memorable. It was a really special opportunity at Ipswich and you want to do that again in your career. But you have to be ready to come in somewhere and get some short-term success as well.”
McKenna has also been linked with Spurs, with manager Roberto De Zerbi under pressure after a poor start.