Speculation over the future of Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has surfaced after it was revealed that he was a guest of the West Ham United board at Saturday’s 3-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.
The Hammers have endured a poor start to the campaign, winning just one of their opening four matches. The pressure began to pile on manager Graham Potter after heavy defeats to Sunderland and Chelsea before losing 3-2 to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion boss was handed a lifeline with an impressive 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest before the international break. That proved to be short lived after he watched his side crash to the same score to bitter rivals Spurs at the weekend.
Potter took charge of West Ham in January but has so far managed just six wins in all competitions. As such, it is said that the hierarchy are asking ‘serious questions’ about his position.
McKenna Heavily Linked To West Ham
Kieran McKenna’s stock has risen at an astronomical rate since landing his first managerial role at Ipswich in 2021. He led the Tractor Boys to back-to-back promotions, taking them from League One to the Premier League.
Although they suffered relegation last season, the brief stay in the top tier was always viewed as somewhat of a free hit. He has continued to be linked with a number of positions but has so far remained loyal to Ipswich.
The former Manchester United coach has been rumoured to have appeared on West Ham’s radar over the past couple of weeks. It now appears as if the fire has been fuelled after Football Insider reported that McKenna was present at the London Stadium on Saturday as a guest of the club.
The Northern Irishman is one of the frontrunners to land the position should Potter depart. He is joined by Coventry City boss Frank Lampard, former England manager Gareth Southgate and the recently departed Nottingham Forest chief Nuno Espírito Santo at the head of the queue.
