Ipswich Town's Matt Penney has revealed how Kieran McKenna has lifted the Tractor Boys' squad since his arrival as manager and brought in some exciting training methods to the practice pitches.

The Tractor Boys opted to bring in the former Manchester United figure as a replacement for Paul Cook and McKenna will now be eager to show what he learned from working at Carrington at the helm of the Blues.

Certainly, it sounds as though he has had a positive impact so far in Suffolk with Penney taking time via the EADT to provide an upbeat update on recent days in training:

“Since he’s been here we’ve had some really hard work on the training pitch and it’s been a tough few days.

“It’s been great to work with him and hopefully we can kick on now. Training has been different and we’re all enjoying it because the sessions are sharp and the standard is high.

“He’s bringing in lots of different techniques, which the boys are thriving off, so it’s all very exciting.

"When a new manager comes in it’s a clean slate for everybody and it’s about showing him what you can do and what you can offer to help the team to the next level.

“We’ve all come together, even the boys who aren’t playing and the subs, and we’re all fighting for the same cause.

“When a manager like ours walks into the building with a background like his and the players he’s worked with, it lifts everybody."

The Verdict

A fair amount of players looked pretty demotivated and unhappy at times towards the end of Cook's reign at Portman Road and so fans will be pleased to see and hear that it looks as though McKenna has helped pick certain members of the squad up.

If the players are happy, results will usually follow and the second half of this season could yet be a good one for Town.