Kieran McKenna has stepped down as Ipswich Town manager, bringing an end to a transformative five-year spell at Portman Road.
The 40-year-old was appointed Ipswich boss in 2021 and leaves the club having overseen one of English football’s most remarkable recent success stories.
McKenna guided the Tractor Boys to three promotions across four seasons, a run of achievement that few managers in the modern game can match.
Two of those promotions took Ipswich into the Premier League, cementing the club’s return to the top tier of English football after years in the lower leagues.
Ipswich will compete in the Premier League in the 2026-27 season after finishing runners-up in the Championship last term, meaning McKenna leaves them in the strongest position they have been in for years.
The Irishman had been linked with the vacant managerial role at Fulham, though he insists his departure is driven by personal reasons rather than a move to another club.
McKenna stated his desire to take a break from football management and spend more quality time with his family following five demanding years in the dugout.
“I feel this is the right time for me to step aside,” McKenna said, reflecting on his decision to part ways with the Suffolk club.
“I do so with great pride at the incredible progress we have made and with huge hope and optimism for the future of the club,” he added.
“After giving so much to the role over the previous five seasons, I now look forward to taking a break from management and dedicating some time to my family, who have been with me every step of my career so far,” McKenna continued.
Ipswich Town will now begin the search for a new manager ahead of what promises to be an important Premier League campaign next season.
The club faces the considerable challenge of replacing one of the most sought-after young managers in British football at a pivotal moment in their history.
