News of Chelsea’s potential new manager, Kieran McKenna, surfaced after Mauricio Pochettino’s unexpected departure from Stamford Bridge.
Kieran McKenna made his senior coaching breakthrough at Manchester United (Image: Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Kieran McKenna was thirty-two years old when Chelsea last won the Premier League. With Thiago Silva gone, that would make him the oldest player on the current Blues roster, but it also shows how young he is and how quickly he has improved.
He was managing Manchester United’s Under-18 team at the time. When Chelsea won the title under Antonio Conte, it was none other than Jose Mourinho leading the senior team at Old Trafford.
With Mauricio Pochettino departing the team by mutual consent, McKenna is currently a strong contender to take over as head coach at Stamford Bridge. There were disagreements between the Argentine and the people at the top of the new Blues hierarchy regarding how the team should proceed.
Though it will be a third permanent appointment, it leaves owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital searching for a sixth manager in two years. Why now, McKenna, and why?
The Northern Irishman gained notoriety mostly at Ipswich Town for his work. He has witnessed the team’s promotion from League One to the Premier League during his first two full years at the organization.
Chelsea was the defending European champions, sitting third in the Premier League and only six points behind the leaders, when he was appointed in December 2021. They had already advanced to the Champions League knockout stages and were more akin to second than fourth.
In contrast, Ipswich was ranked eleventh in the English football third division. After two and a half years, Chelsea is not only set to play the Tractor Boys – albeit without any of the impressive titles they currently hold – but they are also very serious about acquiring the manager.
A sharp ascent
McKenna’s rise to prominence has been so rapid that he is still largely unknown. Between 2018 and 2021, McKenna was frequently spotted in the Old Trafford dugout serving as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Jose Mourinho, and interim managers. At first, McKenna’s hazy resemblance to Darren Fletcher drew attention.
He quickly rose to prominence within the United coaching staff after Mourinho saw his potential. As he has been at different clubs, [Mourinho] has been very open with his staff,” McKenna stated in December 2022 about the Portuguese head coach. “At the beginning, he is really clear in what he wants and needs you to do, and he is very honest and open about it.
“Your obligations to Jose are very clear, but as you gain his trust, the tone of the conversations changes, and it’s possible that he will ask for your opinion more often and engage in more in-depth discussion. Naturally, you show respect for a man who has won numerous titles, including Champions League titles, as a young coach, and you show respect for his opinions.
“He was ultimately strong, but he was also open and solicitous of ideas from his staff. He makes all of the final decisions, and one of the most crucial things about being a member of the first team is that once he makes a decision, everyone on the team fully supports it and follows his lead.”
Because McKenna played such a remarkable role, he was given the responsibility of helping to build Solskjaer’s foundation after Mourinho left. Because of his prior experience working with young players, he helped the Norwegian manager’s exciting team develop.
Because of his 18 months as a youth coach at Nottingham Forest (2010–2011), McKenna also held a comparable position at Leicester for a year and a half shortly after. Before returning to England, he briefly worked as a technical coach at Vancouver after moving to America.
He went through the academy route at Tottenham, only leaving his mid-20s at this point. He later went to United as a scout before taking over as the Under-18s manager after serving as youth coach and Under-18s manager. McKenna, who graduated from the University of Loughborough with a degree in sports science, has a lot of travel experience for his age.
However, his record as a player at the highest level is almost nonexistent. Despite attending Tottenham’s academy, he was injured and never played for the first team. Prior to his early retirement in 2009, he was capped by his country at the youth level.
destined to reach the summit
As they say, the rest is history. Despite having only coached a small number of players, he is now getting considered for elite positions across the nation because of his impressive track record. No matter how little time he spends with a player, Mourinho is not the kind of manager to elevate them into his setup.
Regarding his experiences at Old Trafford, McKenna said, “To operate at the very top, of course there has to be a level of talent and physical blessings.” However, as I moved down the talent pyramid, I think it dawned on me that there aren’t always such large gaps in skill levels.
“Mental qualities such as resolve, fortitude in the face of adversity, commitment, professionalism, and dedication are often what define a player’s career. It is an indisputable fact that without possessing those incredible psychological traits, it is impossible to reach the pinnacle, let alone maintain it.
Not that players at this level don’t have that, though. A few people do. Here are some outstanding professionals. Just sharing some of my observations because I believe many players find it interesting to learn about role models and how they can aspire to be like them.
“They are naturally curious about your experience working with elite players. Players are very interested in watching videos of the best players at this level, as well as any little tidbits you can give them about “he did this” and “he did that.” It captures their interest right away.
“It’s a tool in the toolbox, but it needs to be one of many.” Because players may quickly grow weary of a manager’s single approach if they are.
“Why didn’t I do this when this player did it every day if I sat here and said it? then its effectiveness will be short-lived. You must use various channels to interact with and support players. Although it’s a benefit of the place where I’ve coached, that one shouldn’t be the only one.
And how did he get here, and is he now prepared to climb the ladder himself? McKenna remarked, “You’re always following the generations that come before you.” In a sense, you’re standing on the shoulders of giants.
“Players with less playing experience, like Jose, went on to manage enormous football clubs and have a significant influence on English football as a whole. We’ve had some excellent talks, Brendan Rodgers and I. It was probably not as common for a young British coach to get a chance in the game when he was taking his first steps.
“Those of us who are emerging now are emulating those who dismantled those significant barriers. There are great managers who came from an earlier generation and who had successful playing careers, but there are also those of us who have chosen a different route and can still have an influence.
“In that regard, I believe we have likely lagged behind other nations. For instance, take a look at the Bundesliga. At the age of 34, Julian Nagelsmann managed Bayern Munich. That would still be unheard of in England.
Julian Nagelsmann will lead Germany into the Euros this summer (Image: (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images))
“I hope that Britain will continue to make the good strides that it has made. I want to emphasize once more that the issue is not one thing being superior to another.
It’s important to acknowledge that there are various routes to a career. Not just your age or prior experiences should matter, but also your quality and ability. It is our responsibility to make the most of the opportunities we have been given, and maybe, like our predecessors, we can help others by creating more opportunities.
As a former coach put it, “don’t be surprised if Kieran rises to the top of the game.” He is a determined and committed character who is also intelligent and articulate, and that has proven to be the case. When Ipswich made an offer in 2021, United was eager to hold onto McKenna, but he wanted to focus on his own managerial career.
Before he defeated teams with far bigger budgets in the Championship last year, he had four league losses in his first full season and promotion. McKenna is a talented young manager who prefers a 4-2-3-1 system with a double pivot and possession-based football through the thirds.
When they are not in possession of the ball, they try to close the pitch and lock onto a side by pressing high. The principles are still the same, even though they are not as dominant as they were in League One. In the end, Chelsea wants their new manager to accomplish this.
We will be hearing and seeing a lot of this name in the upcoming years, whether it is McKenna or not, and whether it is Stamford Bridge or somewhere else for him.
