I’ll be honest I was truly shocked. We were on vacation in Thailand at the time and one moment Paul Cook was gone, and Kieran McKenna stepped into the fray. Astonishing!
And yet, 93 matches later, and with a win ratio of 62.2 %, we all know who he is now! The last couple of seasons have produced a staggering turnaround in the Club’s fortunes. It all began when Marcus Evans packed his bags after 14 years of dismal failure and sold out to the Gamechanger Group, and what a game change they have made! Sometimes I have to pinch myself to realize all this is happening, and it is not just another silly dream when I come off the bench, and score the winning goal at Portman Road! This is a recurring dream but at 68, I know it will never happen.
Manager Paul Cook brought us lots of flair and lots of good quality players, but trying to gel them into a winning formula was a bridge too far for the affable scouser.
In steps Kieran McKenna and it was as if almost overnight, the club was turned on its head! From a club that relied almost entirely on those worn-out memories of yesterday, suddenly we had our mojo back and our new Northern Irish boss seemed to have an answer for everything! We were defending much better. Our midfield began to click. Our forwards began to know where the net was again, and all components were purring with rejuvenation. And Mckenna did it with the nucleus of the Cook squad, along with a couple of players from the brief Paul Hirst era in Kayden Jackson and Janoi Donacien. Slowly, but surely, we began to look the part, and the crowds flocked back to Portman Raod in large numbers. It is happening all so quickly, and if Mckenna stays with us, he could even emulate the glory days of Sir Bobby Robson! Dreaming ends here, and reality sets in, as we seem to continue to defy the laws of football.
Where we go from here is anybody’s guess, but if McKenna stays with us, I really do believe the sky’s the limit! We have already accumulated 28 points from just 11 Championship matches, and collecting so many points so soon has been historically enough to get automatic promotion! I know we should not count our chickens, but it is not easy not to! We are pulling in capacity crowds at Portman Road week in and week out, and our away following is equally amazing, selling out our ticket allocations time and time again. We are not just winning often, but we are doing it in style!
