Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna emphasizes his confidence in the squad that earned promotion, stating that he fully trusts them to perform in the Premier League.
While much of the team responsible for Ipswich’s rise from League One and the Championship remains intact, McKenna invested over £100 million on 12 new players to bolster the squad for top-flight competition.
Among the original group, players like Leif Davis, Axel Tuanzebe, Sam Morsy, Wes Burns, and Omari Hutchinson have frequently started matches this season. However, others, including Harry Clarke, Luke Woolfenden, Cameron Burgess, Massimo Luongo, Conor Chaplin, Nathan Broadhead, and George Hirst, have seen limited playing time.
Injuries to Tuanzebe, Jacob Greaves, and Ben Johnson allowed Woolfenden and Burgess to start in Ipswich’s recent 2-0 defeat to Everton, with Clarke, Chaplin, and Hirst making substitute appearances.
Broadhead, meanwhile, was included in the matchday squad for the first time this season. Clarke, Broadhead, and Hirst are all still regaining full fitness following injury setbacks.
McKenna expressed how vital each player remains, even if their roles have shifted. “I’ve spoken to all the boys who’ve been part of the journey, and they all know they have a massive part to play off the pitch in terms of carrying on the culture that we’ve had,” he explained. “But also, the only reason they’re still here is because I believe that they’ve got a part to play on the pitch.”
He further noted, “I’ve got belief in everyone that was able to stay in our 25-man squad (27, including underage players) that they can contribute on the pitch over the course of a long season. A couple of those boys already have, but everyone will contribute over the course of the season, I’m pretty sure of that.”
Conor Chaplin, who scored 39 goals across two promotion campaigns, has started only once in the Premier League so far, but McKenna emphasized the unity within the squad. “The group’s working really well. I think the integration from a psychological, social point of view with the players who’ve been here and the players who have come in, it feels like one group. Of course, some of the players are further along in their understanding of the playing style, the training and all of those things. That’s natural. But I think in the dressing room, it’s one group who are all pulling in the same direction.”
McKenna acknowledged that players like Burgess and Luongo have needed patience to secure regular playing time, a challenge Woolfenden has also faced under previous managers. He encouraged the squad to stay prepared, saying, “I think the boys who aren’t starting every week at the moment have had some incredible examples over the last couple of years to know that things can change quickly. They’ve seen boys who have now left, who were incredible professionals, trained well every day, contributed to the group, and were ready to perform every time they got their opportunities.”
He continued, “Those who have been part of this group over the last couple of years have witnessed that first-hand and have felt the importance of that to the team and to the success of the team. So they’re fully aware of the importance of their roles. The group’s been really good and everyone’s pulling in the same direction, wanting the team to do well, competing with each other to play, but wanting the teammate who’s in their position to do well.”
Despite going winless after eight Premier League matches, Ipswich Town remains outside the relegation zone ahead of their upcoming fixture against Brentford. Injuries continue to affect the squad, with Greaves, Tuanzebe, and Luongo sidelined, though Johnson and Jens Cajuste may be available soon.
