Update outlines Crystal Palace’s stance on Kieran McKenna as pressure builds on Roy Hodgson | OneFootball

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna does have admirers at Crystal Palace, with the pressure growing on Roy Hodgson.

Roy Hodgson’s future at Crystal Palace

The former England chief returned to Selhurst Park last year, and he kept the job for the current campaign, on a 12-month contract.

However, a defeat to Bournemouth in the week, which made it four without a win in a row, saw the crowd boo the players and staff off.

And, The Athletic has revealed that ‘one member of the hierarchy’ has lost faith in Hodgson, as they are considering a change.

Crucially, they state that the 76-year-old does retain the support of others for now, so a sacking isn’t imminent, but the Eagles have a very difficult fixture list coming up, and there are fears they could be dragged closer to the relegation zone.

Kieran McKenna on Crystal Palace radar

The Athletic has stated that the Ipswich chief, who was linked with the job earlier this year, is still spoken about, although they did outline a few factors that could be held against the 37-year-old.

“Kieran McKenna is another whose work has not gone unnoticed by the Palace hierarchy. His side are second in the Championship after being promoted last season, but Palace would have to pay compensation for him, something they have been reluctant to do previously.

“McKenna, 37, also has limited managerial experience and none in the Premier League, which would possibly count against him, given the history of Parish’s appointments.”

Kieran McKenna will need persuading to leave Ipswich

Needless to say, it’s going to take a lot for any club to prise McKenna away from Portman Road, especially mid-season.

As mentioned, the Tractor Boys are second in the table, and they boast a seven-point lead over third-placed Leeds United, so they are firmly in the mix to win automatic promotion.

The Suffolk outfit were the club that gave McKenna his big break in management, and he has been backed superbly since his arrival, building a close relationship with fans, players and the board.

So, he will know that he’s on to something good at Ipswich, and he will not be willing to give that up cheaply. In fact, it’s hard to see him moving during the campaign, even if it can’t be totally ruled out, but it’s something that could become a real topic if Ipswich fail to go up.

Ultimately, this shows the Blues are doing a lot right, as whilst it can be concerning to see your manager linked with a Premier League club, it is a compliment.

The only focus for McKenna will be on continuing Ipswich’s excellent form, and he knows how pivotal December can be in a promotion battle.

They have a tough game at Middlesbrough on Saturday, with fixtures against Norwich, Leeds and Leicester all scheduled before the end of the year, so we will get a clearer indication of where the side are over the coming weeks.