Ipswich's Premier League promotion in sight but warning from boss Kieran McKenna
McKenna has guided Ipswich to the verge of back-to-back league promotions – and a place alongside giants of the game next season such as Liverpool and his former club, Manchester United.
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Hide AdHowever, 37-year-old McKenna was quick to warn against any early celebrations as Ipswich host Huddersfield Town in search of a prized point to pip Leeds United to the Championship automatic promotion place.
"Honestly...I don't want to talk about the 'if',” said McKenna in a pre-match interview with BBC Suffolk. “I understand the question but it's been a discipline within not allowing ourselves to spend too much time or energy thinking about the 'ifs' and the group's done that really well.
“We know it would be an incredible achievement, we know what it would mean to the town, to the football club, to the players, to the staff, to everyone.
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Hide Ad“We're going to do our absolute best to try and make that happen, as we have done all year.
“There's no more we can do than that.
“We can't give more than 100 per cent...the group have been giving 100 per cent day in, day out for a really long period of time and shown an incredible consistent level.
“That's all we can do...that's what we'll focus on and that's what we'll five.
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Hide Ad“Hopefully at 3 o'clock tomorrow will be the time to enjoy and think about what has gone before and what is to come.
“But, honestly, we've really not allowed ourselves too many of those thoughts and certainly not any real discussions within the dressing room.
"It's all about the journey we've been on and taking the next step."
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Hide AdIpswich last played top-flight English football in 2002 but have picked up 93 points to date under McKenna’s management.
McKenna, who was born in England but grew up in Fermanagh, left his role as first-team coach at Manchester United in 2021 to take up the manager’s post with Ipswich.