Kieran McKenna has had a fantastic start to life as Ipswich Town boss and after taking the Tractor Boys back into play-off contention, Clinton Morrison has exclusively revealed to Football League World (on behalf of FreeSuperTips) that he is impressed with how the manager has fared.
McKenna has previously not held the main role at a club up until he made the move to Portman Road but he has adapted to life in the hotseat with ease. After Paul Cook's stint in charge, in which the side slid down the table, he has steadied the ship again and has them back near the top six.
His only previous experience has been with his work at Man United, where he coached some of the Red Devils' youth teams. He did have relative success with them and then eventually made the step up to a higher role alongside Ole Gunner Solksjaer.
When the former player left his role at the club though, so too did McKenna. On the hunt for fresh work, he was brought in to Portman Road and he has done an excellent job so far. In fact, he has turned the Tractor Boys into one of the most in-form teams in League One and if they keep the run up, there is every chance they could creep into the top six.
There are still plenty of games to be won and lost and with Ipswich picking up plenty of points over recent weeks. Now, Clinton Morrison has exclusively revealed to Football League World (on behalf of FreeSuperTips) that he has been fairly impressed with the boss and the work he has done in getting Ipswich firing.
He said:"I'm surprised he's done so well to be fair, but I have to credit him.
They've always had good squads and good teams, it's a club I've played against a number of times and Portman Road is one of the best pitches I've played on. It's always a good team and a good atmosphere there, so it's a mystery why they're underachieving.
"A lot of managers have gone in and tried to sort it out but failed and whatever McKenna has said to that group of players, they've had a bounce and are in contention for those play-offs. There's a lot of teams in contention and they can't all get in there, but they've put themselves into the mix and you have to credit him because whatever he's done is working.
"Kayden Jackson is scoring goals for fun at the moment and sometimes you need a manager to come in and put an arm around your shoulder, which he probably has done with that group of players and now they're picking up results."
The Verdict
Kieran McKenna has impressed many in the footballing world with how well he has done since being given the Ipswich role.
Considering it is his first main job in the industry, you certainly do have to give him credit for how he has gone about his business. He knows exactly how he wants to play and how he wants his team to lineup and it is paying off massively at Portman Road.
The players clearly believe in him and his ability too. McKenna has worked with some of the greats and some of the biggest names in football during his time with Man United, so perhaps his CV at Old Trafford and his ability coaching with them is working in his favour at Portman Road.
Either way, he is already looking like one of the most exciting young managers in the EFL. If he can land them a promotion too, then that would certainly establish him as one of the brightest managers in England.