New manager

Celtic will have to fork out more than £5million for Kieran McKenna and his backroom team if they want the Ipswich boss to replace Brendan Rodgers.


The Irishman has emerged as the early frontrunner to replace his countryman Rodgers, who sensationally quit on Monday night after a bitter fallout with majority shareholder Dermot Desmond.




Record Sport understands Martin O’Neill - who has been installed as interim boss alongside former Hoops hero Shaun Maloney - has already recommended the Tractor Boys gaffer as the ideal pick to take over the Parkhead hot-seat.



McKenna, 39, signed a new deal at Portman Road last year which ties him to the English Championship club until 2028. That terms of that agreement make him the highest paid boss in England’s second tier.

And McKenna will insist on bringing his right-hand men north with him if he does leave Ipswich


He is currently assisted by No2 Martyn Pert plus coaches Charlie Turnbull and Lee Grant. Irish goalie coach Rene Gilmartin is also a key member of McKenna’s staff.


And it will take a serious seven-figure to persuade Blues chiefs to let them all leave.


McKenna was born in County Fermanagh and grew up supporting both Celtic and Manchester United.

The former Spurs academy prospect saw his playing career ended prematurely aged 22 by a serious hip complaint.

He made an early move into coaching with former club Tottenham before moving to Manchester United, where he progressed from working with the youth team to become assistant boss to both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.



McKenna branched out on his own in December 2021 when he was appointed Ipswich boss.



He celebrated leading the club out of League One 18 months later before making it back-to-back promotions as he brought the Tractors Boys’ 22-year exile from the Premier League to an end.





It was that success that saw him named LMA Manager of the Year in 2024.

The step up to the top flight, however, proved to be a step too far, with his team relegated last season after winning just four of their 38 games.

 

Lawwell didn't like Brendan either....

 

Non starter, Desmond will not want the club to have to pay a compensation fee of that figure.

 

Celtic don’t need Jamestown analytics. If we did, we’d be using them. It would be Man City using them in the Prem. PSG. Real Madrid.

It suits the smaller clubs looking for a strategy and affordable options to bridge that gap between themselves and the top clubs.

McKenna would have needed that at Ipswich.

The thing about Jamestown Analytics is that you need to know exactly the profile of player you want to play the way you want. We can provide that player for him without the magic computer, his tactics can do the rest.

I’ve watched a handful of videos on his tactics now and I’m impressed. He’s not scared to change it up and he has a plan for when he has a lot of the ball against a low block or if he’s being pressed. I could tell you the type of players he needs and that’s from YouTube videos, he will know exactly what he needs and he will still have some of the knowledge from the database available to him.

 

It's a lot less than £20M.

I see he is a Celtic supporter too. And I see he has his own goalkeeper coach, Irish goalie coach Rene Gilmartin, which is good too.

Time our goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods moved on too.

 

Aye probably too much for him

 

Realistically who do we all think it's going to be?

 

I think McKenna or someone left field like that Nancy. Hoping it's not Maloney or Broony.

 

True, Desmond obviously fancying McKenna because of his nationality. Otherwise he'd be nowhere near the list of potential replacements imo

 

Why are we parading our interim managers? I could be wrong and it’s normal but can’t remember seeing that before. With the shirts getting photos etc at Celtic Park. Was the Rangers interim the other week the same?

 

Yeah ur correct. I did not give him the respect he deserve tbf

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To be fair McKenna is highly thought of within the game on his own merits. Regardless there is no way Desmond is paying the compensation it would take to pay off Ipswich and then whatever he would have to actually pay McKenna and his staff to hire him. Not happening IMHO.

 

I hope.marco rose.... Knutsen... terzic... but who knows ....will probably be presley and broony

 

Knutsen isn't realistic though. A reason he's not left the club.

A bigger problem is who is willing to take it? We're in a bad state and run a huge risk of winning * all this season.

 

It's 100% going to be McKenna, far too much noise to not be.

 

I like McKenna a lot, my only worry is he's not dissimilar to Rodgers in terms of style. I feel we really need a shake up - wouldn't be against bringing someone in who plays a 3412 or similar.

 

Out of contract in December

 

5 million for your #1 choice manager and his backroom team isnt that bad, cost less than Idah ffs.. Not saying he'll be good but if its 5 million and that's their guy, get it * done..

 

Not fully sold on McKenna. Doesn’t need to be Knutsen but someone similar who builds teams with pace and power that can dominate games that way with a few really good technical players in there.

If it’s not that then needs to be Ange style football because can’t be arsed watching us sideway pass through another season.

 

Knusten gets a cut of transfer fees its why he turned down Ajax. I'd have slight doubts that he could replicate what hes achieved outside of Bodo. He has alot of power there. He also doesnt speak great english