Kieran McKenna has explained leaving his coaching post at Manchester United to become new manager of Ipswich Town.

He now takes his first steps into management with Ipswich, who find themselves 11th in League One, 10 points off the play-offs as they look to secure a return to the Championship, having suffered relegation in 2019.

“The ambition all along was to take this step to lead a team and lead a club, so I knew the day would come," McKenna said at his first press conference.

“But when you work at the club with the size and scale of Manchester United, I was so focussed on the day-to-day there and put my heart and soul into the club to try and make it better.

“I don't think it would have been right, with the responsibility I had there, to be applying for jobs or even looking too far forward.

“I was happy there and could see a future there, but this is an ambition I've had right from the start of my coaching career. I've worked really, really hard to get this opportunity and I've developed myself as a coach very well over the last 12 or 13 years to become the best coach I can be.

“I always trusted and knew that it was a case of, if I worked to develop myself and my skillset as I knew I could, then my reputation within the club and within football would eventually lead to the right club coming to approach me.

“Thankfully that was the case with Ipswich. It was done in a very respectful way and I'm grateful to United for how they handled it.

“It was a really good match and the right time for me to take the step and it was the right club with the right profile for what I was looking for.

“This is the right offer at the right time."