Kieran McKenna is relishing the prospect of Ipswich City beginning life within the Premier League with matches towards Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis.
Ipswich are again within the high flight after a 22-year absence, having received consecutive promotions from League One and the Championship beneath McKenna.
The Premier League fixtures for 2024-25 have been introduced on Tuesday, with Ipswich discovering they are going to begin their marketing campaign at residence to Arne Slot’s Liverpool on Saturday August 17.
Ipswich then play away to champions Man Metropolis, the winners of 4 straight league titles, on Matchday 2.
Regardless of being handed a frightening begin on paper, McKenna can’t wait to get going.
“It’s a unbelievable begin,” he mentioned to Sky Sports activities. “Everybody goes to be so excited, two of the most important golf equipment in world soccer with a house begin towards Liverpool – it brings all of it to life and it’s an incredible begin for us.
“We’re delighted to have a house sport first. We all know the environment that has been created over the previous few years at this stadium and we all know it can keep it up, much more so this 12 months.
“It’s nice to have a house begin and to have probably the greatest groups within the league is for certain a giant problem.
“After all, they’ve a brand new supervisor, however we aren’t going to underestimate the size of the challenges we’re going to have all season.
“Definitely, Liverpool will probably be [a big challenge] on the primary day however on the similar time the environment goes to be unbelievable. The gamers will probably be as prepared as they presumably may be and it’s a sport we are going to actually stay up for.”
Let’s go. pic.twitter.com/uTxdYnsRvf
— IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) June 18, 2024
Ipswich’s success led to McKenna being linked with main jobs on the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United within the aftermath of his staff’s promotion.
McKenna in the end signed a brand new four-year contract to stay with Ipswich and is now decided to look ahead.
“When you could have had the success now we have had over the past couple of years then there’s going to be curiosity,” mentioned McKenna, who was beforehand assistant supervisor at Man Utd.
“These are personal choices. In everybody’s profession, it’s a must to weigh issues up and see what’s best for you and your loved ones, and issues like that. That’s a pure course of.
“There’s all the time an expert determination to make however there’s additionally all the time the private determination to make.
“I’m so, so pleased to have secured my future right here at Ipswich. It’s the primary 12 months in 22 years again within the Premier League. We’re one of many first groups to get a double promotion again to the Premier League in a really very long time and I needed to be a part of that.
“It’s going to be an incredible season for the soccer membership and I’m simply so excited that I’m going to be the one main the staff out by means of these fixtures, and we’ll work actually arduous to proceed the journey we’ve been on.
“After all these types of issues occur naturally every time golf equipment or gamers or employees members have success, however everyone seems to be now simply wanting ahead to the season forward and the challenges now we have.
“The membership took an opportunity on me and gave me the chance at 35-years-old and we’ve had a unbelievable couple of years collectively. It’s a great soccer membership that I’m so proud to handle.
“I do know we’re going to give a extremely good account of ourselves.”
