Ipswich Town head coach Kieran McKenna is under consideration for the vacant Celtic job after Brendan Rodgers resigned on Monday
The Parkhead board have installed Martin O’Neill as interim head coach, assisted by Shaun Maloney, while options for the permanent role are assessed.
Interest in McKenna follows his back-to-back promotions with Ipswich in 2023 and 2024, a body of work that continues to attract elite attention despite last season’s relegation.
Fully support the comments yesterday from September’s Manager of the Month Kieran McKenna. He knows exactly what we need and what we don’t need is ‘fans’ sarcastically cheering his decisions #ITFC pic.twitter.com/m5CENLRaMG
— Renegade Statman Ⓜ️ (@CallMeStat) October 26, 2025
Why McKenna appeals to Celtic
At 39, McKenna has built a modern coaching reputation, shaped by academy success and first-team work at Manchester United, before transforming Ipswich Town with clear possession principles and aggressive pressing.
His blueprint, quick circulation with structured rotations and front-foot pressure, maps neatly onto Celtic expectations, where domestic games demand territory, control, and consistent chance creation. He has handled high-stress environments, including a promotion race and an East Anglian derby win over Norwich City, and has shown resilience after setbacks.
For a squad needing clarity after a turbulent week, the attraction is an evidence-based game model, proven staff management, and a track record of improving players in multiple positions.
There is also the optics factor. Appointing a progressive, upwardly mobile coach signals a reset in line with Celtic’s medium-term aims, notably European competitiveness and the integration of younger talent. McKenna has experience developing prospects into first-team contributors, he communicates strongly, and he has operated inside big-club structures.
Kieran McKenna is expected to sign new long-term contract with Ipswich Town. #ITFC pic.twitter.com/BqHXLRaBgt
— The Real EFL (@RealEFLSocial) May 27, 2024
That combination, identity plus methodology, fits the Parkhead brief at a time when supporters want unity and a clear plan.
Obstacles, alternatives, and what happens next
McKenna remains under contract at Ipswich, which complicates any approach, since the Championship club would fight to keep him and compensation would apply. Recent links to top jobs show his stock, yet timing matters, because he is mid-project and has rebuilt a significant portion of the squad.
Any conversation would have to reconcile his commitment at Portman Road with Celtic’s need for swift appointment and minimal disruption to the season plan. The Parkhead hierarchy must also weigh the risk profile, as moving from a rebuild to title pressure in Glasgow is a different challenge entirely.
Other names are in play. Former boss Ange Postecoglou has been installed as an early bookies’ favourite, although a return would require unusual alignment. External candidates such as Wilfried Nancy and Kjetil Knutsen have admirers for their tactical clarity and player development, while the interim pair O’Neill and Maloney provide stability during the selection process.
With Dermot Desmond publicly demanding a cleaner internal culture and a united football operation, the decision will focus on fit, availability, and an approach that restores calm quickly. For now, Celtic are casting the net widely, and McKenna is firmly within that conversation.
