Name: Kieran McKenna
Born: 14 May 1986, London (England)
Height:
Weight:
Position: Midfielder
Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 6 Under-21 Caps (2006-2007), Under-19, Under-18, Under-17, 6 Under-16 Schools Caps (2002).
Club Honours: (with Spurs) FA Premier Reserve League South Champion 2005/06.
Height:
Weight:
Position: Midfielder
Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 6 Under-21 Caps (2006-2007), Under-19, Under-18, Under-17, 6 Under-16 Schools Caps (2002).
Club Honours: (with Spurs) FA Premier Reserve League South Champion 2005/06.
Awards: LMA Manager of the Year 2023/24.
Club Career:
Biography:
Born in London, but raised in Fermanagh, Kieran McKenna was marked as a special talent from a young age. He played both Gaelic and football while at school and represented Fermanagh at the Milk Cup and Northern Ireland Schools before joining Tottenham on a scholarship in 2002. He signed a professional deal the following year and established himself in the reserve team in 2004/05. A combative box-to-box midfielder, also capable of filling in in defence if required, McKenna played twenty times as Spurs won the FA Premier Reserve League South title.
Coveted by the FAI, McKenna remained loyal to Northern Ireland, appearing at every youth level possible, including as captain of the Under-19s at the 2005 European Championship Finals. Promoted to the Under-21 team in 2006, he had the misfortune to be sent-off for two bookings during a 2-1 defeat by Germany on his debut. The highlight of his career at Under-21 level was a 25-yard free-kick to draw Northern Ireland level in a 2-1 victory over Finland.
From September 2007 onwards McKenna was blighted by injury and he was eventually forced to call time on his career in March 2009 due to a hip problem. Keen to remain involved in the game he decided to seek his coaching qualifications and took an appointment as a youth team coach at Spurs. In 2016 he moved to a coaching role at Manchester United's academy. In 2018 he was promoted to first team coach by Jose Mourinho, a role which he retained under Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. In December 2021, shortly after Solksjaer's sacking, McKenna also left Old Trafford, taking his first manager's post at Ipswich Town. In 2024 he led Ipswich to the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 21 years.
Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
14-11-2006 Germany... A L 1-2 FR sent-off
06-02-2007 Wales..... H L 0-4 FR
24-03-2007 Romania... A L 0-2 FR
21-08-2007 Finland... H W 2-1 FR 1 goal
07-09-2007 Germany... H L 0-3 ECQ
12-09-2007 Luxembourg A W 2-1 ECQ
Summary: 6/1. Won 2, Drew 0, Lost 4.
Club Career:
Clubs
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Seasons
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Signed
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Fee
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League
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FA Cup
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FL Cup
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Europe
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Other
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Enniskillen Town United
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-
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-
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Youth
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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Tottenham Hotspur
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03/04-08/09
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Aug-03
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-
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0(0)/0
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-
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-
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-
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-
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TOTALS
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£10,000
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0(0)/0
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0(0)/0
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0(0)/0
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0(0)/0
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0(0)/0
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||
Biography:
Born in London, but raised in Fermanagh, Kieran McKenna was marked as a special talent from a young age. He played both Gaelic and football while at school and represented Fermanagh at the Milk Cup and Northern Ireland Schools before joining Tottenham on a scholarship in 2002. He signed a professional deal the following year and established himself in the reserve team in 2004/05. A combative box-to-box midfielder, also capable of filling in in defence if required, McKenna played twenty times as Spurs won the FA Premier Reserve League South title.
Coveted by the FAI, McKenna remained loyal to Northern Ireland, appearing at every youth level possible, including as captain of the Under-19s at the 2005 European Championship Finals. Promoted to the Under-21 team in 2006, he had the misfortune to be sent-off for two bookings during a 2-1 defeat by Germany on his debut. The highlight of his career at Under-21 level was a 25-yard free-kick to draw Northern Ireland level in a 2-1 victory over Finland.
From September 2007 onwards McKenna was blighted by injury and he was eventually forced to call time on his career in March 2009 due to a hip problem. Keen to remain involved in the game he decided to seek his coaching qualifications and took an appointment as a youth team coach at Spurs. In 2016 he moved to a coaching role at Manchester United's academy. In 2018 he was promoted to first team coach by Jose Mourinho, a role which he retained under Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. In December 2021, shortly after Solksjaer's sacking, McKenna also left Old Trafford, taking his first manager's post at Ipswich Town. In 2024 he led Ipswich to the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 21 years.
Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
14-11-2006 Germany... A L 1-2 FR sent-off
06-02-2007 Wales..... H L 0-4 FR
24-03-2007 Romania... A L 0-2 FR
21-08-2007 Finland... H W 2-1 FR 1 goal
07-09-2007 Germany... H L 0-3 ECQ
12-09-2007 Luxembourg A W 2-1 ECQ
Summary: 6/1. Won 2, Drew 0, Lost 4.
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