Kieran McKenna Responds to Celtic Job Links After Rodgers Exit

Kieran McKenna says he is happy at Ipswich Town despite being under consideration for the Celtic vacancy and calling the Bhoys “a big club”.

GMS understands the Tractor Boys will fight to keep McKenna if Celtic make a formal approach. The 39-year-old is one of the potential candidates to replace Brendan Rodgers, but his £5m release clause, and his wage could also prove a stumbling block.

McKenna Speaks Out on “big club” Celtic

Ipswich are currently 12th in the Championship, three points off the play-offs, and travel to Queens Park Rangers this weekend. McKenna is under contract at Portman Road until 2028 and enjoys a strong relationship with chief executive Mark Ashton. Celtic are currently debating whether to make a formal approach, but McKenna insists his only focus is on guiding his current employers back to the Premier League.

When asked about links to the reigning Scottish Premiership champions during his pre-match press conference, he said: “We’ve got a lot of Scottish representatives here today! It’s not something [the Celtic vacancy] I have given any thought to, or where any part of my concentration is. I have a special job here at a special football club. It’s a massive club. We’re at a really important stage of the season starting on Saturday at QPR. My focus has been 100 per cent on the group here.

“My focus is honestly just on Ipswich. I know the size and significance of this football club. So there is no time or space to discuss any other football club.

“I have not had any [formal] conversations [with Celtic]. My focus has been here. I’ll work here as if I am going to be here forever, and I have done since the day I came here. When I arrived, I always knew it was going to be a long-term project. We are still in the middle of that. If you look outside, you’ll see a lot of cranes, which shows you this club is still building.

“I approach this job like I’ll be Ipswich manager forever. I know that’s not always going to be the case, but I’ll always do my best as long as I am here.

“There have been a fair few instances over the last few years, some public, some not, where clubs have been interested, which happens when you do well. I am grateful to be manager here and committed to the project here to try and build up the club over the long-term. I think that has been clear over the last few years. I know I won’t be the manager here forever, for one reason or the other, but I am fully focused on the short-term, and the medium and long-term as well.”

When asked whether he has been keeping track of Celtic’s season, along with the decision to hand Martin O’Neill the job on an interim basis, he added: “It’s not something I have followed closely. I used to coach Martin’s nephew. That’s the closest link I have to Martin O’Neill.

“[Celtic] is a really big football club. Growing up, we all have our affinities. I don’t think everyone has to go around and announce the club they support, but of course it’s a really big football club, but we are in a really busy stage of our own season.”

Bellamy and Keane Among Others Being Considered

Along with McKenna, Craig Bellamy is another coach under consideration. The Wales boss played for Celtic in 2005 and is open to returning to club football in the long-run. However, his primary focus is on taking Wales to the 2026 World Cup, with vital qualifiers next month against Liechtenstein and North Macedonia.

If Wales win both games, they will guarantee second place in Group J and a play-off next March. Bellamy is unlikely to walk away from Wales while their World Cup hopes are alive, but Celtic could consider keeping Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney on as interim managers for a longer period than first planned if the right candidate is worth waiting for.

Former Celtic striker Robbie Keane and Damien Duff have also been discussed and enjoy an excellent relationship with majority shareholder Dermot Desmond. Keane is currently manager of Ferencvaros and won the Hungarian title last season, while Duff is a former Celtic coach and is a free agent after leaving Shelbourne.

Celtic also have Bodo/Glimt’s Kjetil Knutsen and Club Brugge’s Nicky Hayen on their shortlist. Hayen was asked about joining Celtic following his side’s 6-1 victory over Eendracht Aalst and simply replied, “Never say never in football, but I am happy here.”

Ange Postecoglou is the other name linked with the vacancy, but a return to Celtic is unlikely, as GMS revealed earlier this week. Postecoglou won the domestic treble with Celtic in 2022/23 and is out of work after lasting just 39 days at Nottingham Forest, but those close to the 60-year-old have distanced him from the role.

GMS has also learned Postecoglou was on a significantly higher wage than Rodgers. It’s understood Celtic are not prepared to match Postecoglou’s old terms for any candidate, nor has the Greek-Australian shown a willingness go back to Parkhead.

All statistics courtesy of Sofascore – correct as of 30/10/2025