Camisetas FC Porto
Who is Kieran McKenna? From kicking a ball around back alleys in Northern Ireland to becoming one of the brightest managers in English football – this is the unbelievable rise of Kieran McKenna.

The Ipswich Town boss was born to be a footballer, showing immense talent from a young age at tiny clubs like Enniskillen and Ballinamallard. Tottenham spotted his ability and snapped up the teenager, only for a nightmare hip injury to cruelly end his playing dream at just 22.

But McKenna was just getting started. He transitioned into coaching and rapidly climbed the ranks, taking charge of Spurs’ U18s before being poached by his beloved Manchester United in 2016. In two years he was assistant to Jose Mourinho, surviving the circus at Old Trafford to also work under Solskjaer and Rangnick.

In 2021, McKenna took the brave step into management with struggling Ipswich Town. His impact was transformative, guiding them to promotion with a 19-game unbeaten run in his first full season. They’ve carried that form into the Championship, with McKenna’s side currently top after a 6-0 demolition of Sheffield Wednesday.

At just 36, the prodigious tactician is already one of the brightest young managers around. With his planning, discipline and thirst to keep learning from the greats, McKenna looks set to continue this meteoric rise for years to come. The unlikely lad who became a mastermind – what a story!

Photo credits:
By Kane Brooker – MUFC v LFC U18s – 160, CC BY 2.0,

By ITFC1234 – Own work, CC0,

By Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0,