Brendan Rodgers is gone. Arguably the best manager Celtic have had since the turn of the millennium handed in his resignation, leaving his former side sitting three points off the top of the Scottish Premiership following their 3-1 defeat to leaders Hearts.
Looking at how Celtic were performing on the pitch since the start of the season, it was clear they had grown complacent. The football was boring, often keeping possession for the sake of it with very little killer edge, something that had defined Rodgers’ two remarkably successful spells in charge.
Celtic have now started their search for a new manager, in desperate need of a new direction, here is why we believe current Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is the perfect choice.
How does Kieran McKenna like his sides to play?
Celtic go into every domestic game looking to dominate, that is something McKenna hasn’t really been able to do since leaving Man United as a coach to strike out on his own and become Ipswich manager.
Ipswich were massive underdogs when they were promoted to the Premier League, and despite a very active transfer window, were ultimately sent right back down. McKenna, however, received plenty of plaudits for the way his side played.
McKenna’s side had no trouble building up slowly from the back and control possession but weren’t afraid to play long against stronger opposition breaking lines quickly and using the physicality of players like Liam Delap.
They would also often bait opposition attackers into aggressively pressing, allowing Ipswich to then bypass players with quick passing, switching play to help fine a spare man and hit them on the counterattack.
Defensively, he would have his Ipswich side sit deep, with a low line height to remain compact and limit space for opponents to play through the middle. But, despite the low block, were instructed to press hard.
All of this indicates a manager that is willing to play with the hand he’s been dealt. He will know Celtic are expected to overpower every other side in Scotland, just like Rodgers did. But where the former Liverpool boss fell short was in Europe.
Celtic are a huge club that has severely underperformed in the Champions League for over a decade. Rodgers, like Ange Postecoglou before him, weren’t able to adapt as much as they should have on the continent. McKenna would be different.
Which players would thrive under McKenna at Celtic?
Taking Ipswich from League One up to the Premier League means McKenna is pretty capable of getting the best out his players. The likes of Leif Davis, Sam Morsy made the journey with him, while young stars such as Delap and Omari Hutchinson went on to secure big moves.
The most obvious would be Kieran Tierney. The boyhood Celtic lad returned to Parkhead this summer having left for Arsenal back in 2019, and let’s be honest, the left-back is a big fish in a small pond back in Scotland.
McKenna would often use Davis as an attacking outlet at Ipswich, in the season they got promoted to the Premier League, he provided a ridiculous 18 assists, the most in the Championship, three more than Georginio Rutter.
Tierney already has two assists across his seven league games so far, but his underlying numbers show a player generating a considerable attacking threat. He has created 11 chances, had nine successful crosses with an accuracy rate of 45%, and 11 touches in the opposition box. Getting him further forward, like he does with Davis, would unlock another level for McKenna.
Kelechi Iheanacho is another. The Nigerian has struggled to get to grips with everything north of the border having spent a majority of his career in the Premier League, first for Man City and then Leicester.
McKenna likes a physical number nine, and Iheanacho can provide exactly that. Standing a 6’1”, he is by far Celtic’s biggest presence up top, and although he’s not a traditional ‘target man’, he is capable of holding the ball up and bringing teammates into play.
Verdict
Celtic need a breath of fresh air. They’ve grown stagnant rather than moving forward. There is undoubtedly a temptation to go back in for Postecoglou, especially since he’s a free agent, but McKenna, a young manager with fresh ideas, would be the best option.