Kieran McKenna explains why he chose to leave Ipswich on a high

Kieran McKenna says he wanted to leave Ipswich in the best way possible. In an interview, the former manager explains that leaving while the club was on a high mattered to him, and that he is now taking time to consider the next stage of his career.

The thought that this might be his final season at Ipswich had crossed his mind earlier in the campaign, before the relentless demands of the Championship pushed it aside. After the victory over QPR secured a return to the Premier League, he felt the moment had probably come. “Another big victory, a full stadium, in front of my family and the fans. It was an amazing way to go out on a high,” he says.

Five months later, McKenna says he has no regrets about ending his time at the club while things were going well. At 40, after two decades immersed in coaching, he also wanted to appreciate what matters in life and continue developing at his own pace. “I wanted to give myself the best possibility to learn before taking on the next challenge,” he says.

He acknowledges that his decision may be harder for people outside his circle to understand. But those closest to him, who know his path and values, understood why he wanted to step away and what a spell like this could offer, he says. Proposals for his next move have come in, but he considered them too soon, particularly given the way he left Ipswich.

“I’m certainly in no rush,” he says. He is enjoying this period and hopes the right opportunity will arrive, while recognising that football does not always follow a plan. He insists that leaving was not driven by fear of a worst-case scenario. He had other chances to go, but wanted the club to be on a high, back in the Premier League and well placed to build for what comes next.

The decision has also brought a change in daily life. McKenna talks about spending time with family and friends, and days that no longer begin with a 5.30am alarm and a drive in the dark. After a substantial body of coaching work and years in which his family committed themselves alongside him, he wants to enjoy this period, reflect and put himself in the best position for his next role.