Tractor Boys on the road to success with Kieran McKenna
The final day of the Championship kicks off at lunchtime today and many eyes will be on Ipswich Town’s home clash with Huddersfield Town.
What a season it has been for Kieran McKenna’s side.
The young head coach turns 38 later this month but already has one promotion to his CV with the Tractor Boys and is now in tantalising reach of an incredible back-to-back promotion success.
The Northern Irishman does not expect an easy ride after Ipswich moved a giant step closer to a Premier League return after more than two decades in the wilderness, following victory at Coventry City on Tuesday night.
Kieffer Moore’s early goal was cancelled out by Haji Wright’s second-half equaliser for Mark Robins’ side, but Cameron Burgess fired the East Anglians back ahead just minutes later to put Town on the brink of a place in the Premier League.
The victory means that a draw against all-but-relegated Huddersfield will secure Ipswich’s return to the top division for the first time since 2002.
In winning promotion, McKenna’s team could become just the fourth team to be promoted – two seasons running – from League One to the Premier League since it was rebranded in 1992. Only Watford, under Graham Taylor, arch-rivals Norwich City and Southampton have achieved that feat.
“I’ve got belief in them and a lot of belief in what we’ve done, the consistency that we’ve shown,” McKenna said after the win in the Midlands.
“How we prepare for games, how we concentrate throughout games and how we get our identity out there on the pitch gives us a great chance to win games.
