38-year-old McKenna emerges as contender for England coach role

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is a shock contender for the England job, according to reports.

The position became vacant following the resignation of Gareth Southgate as England head coach on July 16, 2024.

Southgate announced his resignation two days after England’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.

The 53-year-old manager had been Three Lions boss for eight years and exited the role after a fourth major tournament in charge, saying playing and then managing his country “has been the honour of my life and meant everything to me”.

However, the FA are searching for a successor to Southgate and London-born McKenna, who played for Northern Ireland Under-21, is on the list, Sky Sports reports.

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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.

McKenna joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2002 and represented Northern Ireland Under-21 seven times but a hip injury curtailed his playing career.

After studying sports science at the university, he worked at Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United with the youth sides, before being appointed as manager of Ipswich Town in 2021.

The Star