Kieran McKenna emerges as shock contender for England job with key decision-maker huge fan of Ipswich boss
KIERAN McKENNA is a shock contender for the England job.
The FA are searching for a successor to Gareth Southgate and the Ipswich boss is on the list.
Eddie Howe, Graham Potter and Lee Carsley are the three favourites for the post.
But Northern Irishman McKenna, 38, has emerged as another candidate after back-to-back promotions at Portman Road.
FA technical director John McDermott is drawing up the shortlist to replace Southgate.
And he worked with McKenna when he was a youth coach at Tottenham.
McDermott was Spurs’ head of coaching and development and he is a huge fan of what McKenna has achieved.
In 2016, McKenna joined Manchester United as Under-18s chief and ended up as first-team assistant boss.
United, Chelsea and Brighton were all interested in hiring him at the end of last term before he signed a fresh £5million deal with Ipswich.
The FA — who wanted Southgate to stay on after Euro 2024 — do not believe the next boss must be English even though the three main candidates are from this country.
England's job advert for new boss
The FA's seven requirements to succeed Gareth Southgate:
- Will hold a Uefa Pro License.
- Will have significant experience of English football, with a strong track record delivering results in the Premier League and/or leading international competitions.
- Will be an exceptional leader who understands and will enjoy the international football environment.
- Will be experienced in successfully identifying, managing and developing English qualified players.
- Will be highly resilient and comfortable in a very high-profile role with intense public scrutiny.
- Will have a track record of creating a high performing, positive team culture and environment.
- Will have strong personal values and integrity and understand and embrace the role that the England Men’s Senior Team Head Coach has inspiring the nation.
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Ex-Spurs and Chelsea chief Mauricio Pochettino would like the job, along with Germans Thomas Tuchel and Joachim Low.
England’s next game is a Nations League clash in Ireland on September 7.
If a new manager is not in place, Carsley will take interim charge.
Carsley remains a candidate in his own right and the cash-strapped FA would not need to pay compensation for him or ex-Chelsea boss Potter.
McKenna is understood to be happy at Ipswich.
And the Suffolk club would fight hard to keep the manager who has led them back to the Premier League for the first time since 2002.
