Subsequent Celtic supervisor: Kieran McKenna says his focus is solely on Ipswich Town for brief, medium and long-term

Kieran McKenna says his present focus is solely on Ipswich within the quick, medium and long-term amid hyperlinks to the Celtic job – and has revealed there was no method from the Scottish champions.

Sky Sports News revealed this week that McKenna is without doubt one of the candidates to exchange Brendan Rodgers as Celtic’s everlasting supervisor. The Irishman is below contract at Portman Road till 2028 and Sky Sports News understands Ipswich don’t need to lose their boss.

Speaking for the primary time since these rumours surfaced, McKenna has admitted that no method has been made to him – and he has not thought concerning the Celtic emptiness.

“It’s not something I’ve given any thought to,” stated McKenna forward of Ipswich’s Championship sport with QPR on Saturday. “It’s not where any part of my concentration is this week to be honest.

“I do know I’ve obtained a extremely particular job right here at a particular and big soccer membership and one I’ve an ideal affinity to.

“And we’re in a extremely vital season and stage of the season. We have an enormous week developing, three huge video games beginning with QPR.

“Honestly, anything outside of that hasn’t touched my radar. I’ve been 100 per cent committed to the group here, helping players get ready for the game.”

Asked if an method has been made by Celtic to him, McKenna replied: “I’ve not had any of those conversations or anything of the like. My focus has been purely here.

“I work right here as if I’m going to be right here ceaselessly, I’ve performed because the first day I used to be right here. I’ll attempt to do all the things for the long-term good of the soccer membership.

“I work as if I’m always going to be Ipswich manager. I know in reality I won’t be, for whatever reason.”

Sky Sports News understands that whereas Ipswich wouldn’t stand in McKenna’s method if he expressed a want to go, it will require a compensation price of round £5m to get him.

Asked about these phrases, McKenna stated: “These things are usually contractual. I don’t think there are many unofficial handshakes.

“In each supervisor’s contract there are some contractual issues, I could not even inform you what mine are to be sincere. If I did know, I would not inform you however I do not know what they’re! It’s not my focus. My focus is simply on the [training] session this morning.”

It will not be the primary time McKenna has been linked to a job away from Portman Road. When the Tractor Boys had been promoted to the Premier League in 2024, the 39-year-old was linked with Brighton, Chelsea and Manchester United all within the area of a matter of weeks.

“There’s been a fair few instances over the last few years – some public and some not public – where there’s been interest from different clubs which happens when you go well,” stated McKenna.

“But I think that I’ve shown that I’m really respectful to be the manager of this club and really committed to the project and the people here and want to do really well for this job.

“I prefer to suppose that is been fairly away from the previous few years. I’m definitely centered on the job in hand for the short-term and the medium and long-term.”

‘We all have our affinities’ – McKenna on Celtic fan whispers

It has been rumoured that McKenna grew up supporting Celtic but the Ipswich head coach would not be drawn on those allegations.

“We all develop up as soccer supporters, I feel persons are fortunate sufficient to work within the sport and have affinity with sure golf equipment,” said McKenna.

“But I’m actually privileged to be within the place that I’m. I do know the dimensions, significance and historical past of this soccer membership as properly.

“When you’re in a position to manage this football club, there’s no time or space to think or discuss any other football club, other than doing very best with the role that you’re in.

“Of course [Celtic] is a extremely huge soccer membership. We all have our affinities, I do not suppose everybody has to go spherical and announce what we had been and the golf equipment that we help and comply with. But it is a actually huge soccer membership.

“But going into the international break we have three big games coming up, I haven’t had the chance to watch much football. I didn’t even watch the Carabao Cup or too much else apart from all the QPR games this season.”

Asked what he thought of Celtic’s determination to nominate Martin O’Neill as interim head coach, McKenna stated: “It’s not one thing I’ve adopted significantly. I used to educate his nephew, that is my closest connection to Martin O’Neill! No different huge hyperlinks there.

“I saw they had a good result last night – other than that, it’s trying to get ready for QPR.”

Ange impossible to return to Celtic

Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou may be very unlikely to turn into the subsequent Celtic boss, Sky Sports News understands.

The membership had been eager to discover the concept of a return for the Australian – however Sky Sports News believes the curiosity will virtually definitely not progress presently.

Club Brugge boss Nicky Hayen is one other supervisor Celtic have been monitoring for a while and, final night time, he didn’t rule out the potential of becoming a member of Celtic when requested by reporters.

Speaking to Sporza after their 6-1 win over Eendracht Aalst, Hayen stated: “I’ve said before that I know I’m on lists, although I don’t know which ones.

“As lengthy as nothing is concrete, I need not find out about it. I’m glad right here and I need to work onerous to win my twentieth nationwide title. That’s nonetheless my aim.”

Pressed again on the Celtic links, he said: “Never say by no means in soccer, however I’m glad right here. As lengthy as you may have mutual belief between the membership and me, there’s nothing mistaken.”

Former Celtic striker Robbie Keane and ex-coach Damien Duff are additionally within the body and being assessed. Both Irishmen have sturdy ties with principal shareholder Dermot Desmond.

Keane is at the moment supervisor of Ferencvaros, the place he has received the Hungarian title final season. He additionally received the Israeli league the season earlier than, with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Duff was extremely rated as a coach at Celtic and left the membership in 2020 to turn into assistant supervisor of the Republic of Ireland.

He went on to handle Shelbourne and received the League of Ireland in 2024, earlier than leaving earlier this 12 months.

Meanwhile, Wales boss Craig Bellamy – who performed for Celtic in 2005 – and Bodo/Glimt’s Kjetil Knutsen are amongst different coaches the membership admire and are being thought of as targets.