Pundit tipped Ipswich Town man ahead of Man City, Arsenal, Aston Villa rivals to top award

Don Goodman believes that Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna deserves to win the prestigious Manager of the Year title for his efforts at Portman Road this season.

Ipswich Town’s rise continues under Kieran McKenna

The Northern Irishman was named as Tractor Boys manager in December 2021, his first managing position after previously working as a coach at Manchester United.

However, he quickly adapted to life as the main man and began to make his mark in League One with Ipswich.

During his first full season, the Suffolk outfit secured a return to the Championship, and they have now made it back-to-back promotions.

Despite competing against clubs with substantially larger resources, such as Leeds United and Southampton, they were able to hold off their opponents and finish second, ensuring a return to the Premier League.

If that wasn’t enough, they also managed to score 96 points, which is a big number at this level, with Ipswich holding their nerve near the conclusion of the season as Leeds struggled.

Don Goodman backs Kieran McKenna for managerial award

McKenna was awarded Championship Manager of the Year at the awards ceremony in London last month, which came as no surprise given his achievements.

However, there is another prize up for grabs: the LMA Manager of the Year, which will be named later this month and will include managers from all divisions.

So McKenna is likely to face some real elite managers, with whoever wins the Premier League, whether Mikel Arteta or Pep Guardiola, sure to be in the mix, while Unai Emery deserves a mention for his outstanding work with Aston Villa, who look set to qualify for the Champions League.

However, in an interview with FLW, Goodman stated that McKenna’s achievements this season have surpassed those of anyone else in English football, and he believes he should be recognized for it.

“I said that Kieran McKenna deserves to win the Manager of the Year award, including the likes of Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Unai Emery because what they’ve done is nothing short of remarkable. Southampton last did it in 2012 and I think, with respect, it’s a lot harder to do it now with the calibre of the 3 relegated clubs and the financial resources. There is more praise.”