RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesOXFORD, ENGLAND - AUGUST 01: Gary O'Neil, the Ipswich Town manager, looks on during the pre-season friendly match between Oxford United and Ipswich Town at the Kassam Stadium on August 01, 2026 in Oxford, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After guiding Ipswich to promotion last season, Kieran McKenna left the club this summer. Did that come as a shock?
It did, but more the nature of his exit than anything else. Interest in McKenna had become a perennial summer talking point but we’d kind of got used to it. The only real suitors this summer had been Fulham and being rose-tinted about it, it didn’t feel much of an upgrade to ITFC (at least in a football sense!).
For him to walk away from the game completely was therefore quite a surprise. But it’s now clear that last season took everything out of him, and you can’t begrudge anyone with a family taking time out to spend more time with them.
It’s also certainly a better exit route than going to Fulham from a Town fan perspective!
The man to replace him was former Wolves and Bournemouth coach Gary O’Neil. How did his appointment go down with your fanbase?
There was always likely to be some grumbles on whoever was appointed post-McKenna unless Pep or Klopp could have been enticed to Suffolk!
Over time, the general consensus is that O’Neil is a sensible successor. His Premier League experience, including two successful survival campaigns, counts for a lot plus he’s someone well known to our chairman Mark Ashton.
Tactically he’s not a million miles from McKenna’s philosophy, but perhaps with a tad more pragmatism and flexibility to get points whatever it takes.
After a season yo-yoing between the divisions, how confident are you that Ipswich can survive in the premier league this season?
It’s funny, I don’t really consider us a yo-yo club, but I guess we are now!
Of the promoted three I think we’ve got the most Premier League IQ and done the best recruitment. It’s clear we’ve learned our lessons from relegation in 24/25 and maybe taken notice of Sunderland’s campaign last season.
The challenge in simple terms is to be better than at least three other teams. There’s question marks over quite a few, especially those with new managers, but no-one jumps out as a slam-dunk basket case yet outside the promoted trio.
Looking at your business, like Sunderland did last season, you have completely overhauled your squad. Which of your new signings excites you the most and why?
I’m pretty impressed with all our business frankly. We needed Premier League experience and greater athleticism/physicality and we’ve made some really good moves to bring it in.
The stand-out bit of business that excites me most is getting Daizen Maeda from Celtic. He’s someone that stood out north of the border and for a club of our stature to attract him is pretty good going.
According to Celtic fans he’s non-stop energy, a great character, and capable of something special. I really hope it works out for him with us.
Aside from your new signings, who will Sunderland have to be wary of during the match?
As with McKenna’s patterns previously, the positions behind the front man (another exciting new signing – Emersonn) are where we’ve looked particularly threatening under O’Neil so far.
If he’s fit, Abdul Fatawu has really impressed in preseason since joining from Leicester. Explosive pace, able to cut in or continue down the line, and some decent end product. Not a fun player for opposition left backs to mark.
Ex-Sunderland winger Jack Clarke was brilliant for Ipswich last season after a less so successful Premier League season before. Do you think he will still be an Ipswich player come the end of the window?
I’m a big fan of Jack Clarke. I’m not sure he’s universally appreciated by our fanbase, but his goal return and particularly ice cool penalty record were vital for us last season.
For Ipswich he’s mostly been used off the left, and he’s got quite a bit competition in the aforementioned Maeda but also Jaden Philogene. The latter has been linked with exits all summer but his chatty agent hasn’t found him a club yet.
If Philogene stays, I think Clarke may end up leaving, not least as Enciso has returned and is likely to make the number 10 role – where Clarke can also play – his own.
One player who has been linked with Sunderland is Ipswich goalkeeper Alex Palmer. How would you summarise his tenure at the club and would you be sad to see him go?
Palmer was what we needed at the time, after a pretty torrid start to Aro Muric’s career (he’s now left Town permanently).
A great shot-stopper, and a good organiser of the back-line – maybe somewhat lacking when it comes to distribution which was an important part of McKenna’s build-up play.
He’s actually got the number 1 shirt, but I’d be surprised to see him at Portman Road after the window.
What style of play can Regis Le Bris expect to encounter at Portman Road?
Great question – I really don’t know!
Le Bris said as much today that Ipswich are somewhat of an unknown quantity. What we’ve seen in preseason has been pretty familiar to previous seasons under McKenna though, but with some evolution here and there – particularly to be more incisive when we get on the ball in the opposition’s final third.
Defeat though isn’t something anyone wants on opening day, especially at home. Therefore O’Neil might have something else planned for you!
Are any players missing and who do you think will start the match?
Fatawu and midfield signing Luis Florentino were missing from the line-up against Union Berlin last week.
The expectation is that they’ll be available, with midfielders Matusiwa and Taylor the only known absentees.
I’d be surprised if both Julio Enciso and Abdoul Ouattara start (who were reunited with Gary O’Neil arriving from Strasbourg earlier this week).
Otherwise it’ll be pretty close to the starting line-up to last weekend’s win out in Germany.
Ipswich beat Su...
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