Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has reportedly entered contention to become the next England boss.
The 38-year-old has enjoyed a quick rise in the world of football coaching after taking charge of the Tractor Boys in League One during December 2021.
During his first full season as a senior head coach, McKenna guided Ipswich to a second-placed finish in the third tier, securing promotion back to the Championship.
The Tractor Boys enjoyed an even better 2023-24 term, adapting to the rigours of the Championship amazingly to place second, sealing a place in the Premier League for this season.
Before assuming control at Portman Road, McKenna had coached various youth teams at Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, who he played for during a respectable career on the pitch.
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England 'considering' McKenna as Southgate replacement
Following a playing career, McKenna has taken to duties on the sidelines like a duck to water, and he could be rewarded with one of the game's biggest jobs in the near future.
According to The Sun, the Ipswich boss is currently being considered as a possible replacement to Gareth Southgate for the role of England manager.
The report claims that the FA's technical director John McDermott is a massive admirer of McKenna, with the pair working together at Spurs in the past.
Ipswich tied the former Red Devil down to fresh terms in May of this year amid speculation around his future, meaning that he is contracted to the East Anglians until the summer of 2028.
It is understood that the FA are willing to appoint a non-Englishman to the role at the Three Lions, so McKenna, who is from Northern Ireland, represents a credible option.
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Further interest and England's other options
As well as an elite international side, a host of Premier League clubs were sounding out a swoop for Ipswich man McKenna ahead of the new season.
While Erik ten Hag's future at Old Trafford hung in the balance at the end of last season, Manchester United held talks with the 38-year-old over taking the reins for the Red Devils.
Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion were both credited with an interest in McKenna, although the clubs went on to appoint Enzo Maresca and Fabian Hurzeler respectively.
Other names in the fray for the England job include Eddie Howe, Graham Potter and Lee Carsley, while Pep Guardiola could be an extraordinary option should the FA be able to lure the Catalan out of club management.
Carter White
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