Kieran McKenna emerges as one of the preferred candidates to replace Thomas Frank at Brentford | OneFootball

Brentford are set to lose their manager, Thomas Frank, and could turn to a former Manchester United coach to guide them into a new era.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Frank is close to replacing the recently sacked Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham Hotspur’s new head coach.

The Dane has spent nearly a decade with the Bees, initially joining as assistant head coach in 2016 before being promoted to the top job two years later.

Under his leadership, Brentford found their competitive edge in the Championship and secured Premier League promotion at the end of the 2020–21 season.

He leaves the club as a legend, having become only the second manager to take them into the English top flight and keep them there.

His successor will have big shoes to fill. As per talkSPORT, one potential replacement being eyed is former Manchester United assistant coach Kieran McKenna.

McKenna is reportedly among the candidates Brentford are considering, though some may question why the Bees would turn to a manager who has just suffered relegation with Ipswich Town.

However, the Northern Irish tactician is highly regarded in English football.

His work at Ipswich was widely praised, particularly for the exciting, expansive attacking football his side played in the 2023–24 season.

The Tractor Boys topped the Championship’s goal-scoring charts with 92 goals, finishing second in the league to secure promotion.

After that brilliant Championship campaign, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion showed keen interest in McKenna last summer, but he opted to remain at Portman Road.

Unfortunately, his Premier League tenure with Ipswich ended in disappointment as the club suffered relegation. While a return to the Championship seemed inevitable, he may not stay.

Brentford believe McKenna has the qualities to lead them beyond the Frank era. Given his experience, he could thrive in the role.

McKenna honed his coaching skills at Man United

Beyond his recent exploits in the Championship, and despite a disappointing 2024–25 season, McKenna has considerable Premier League coaching experience.

Following an impressive spell with United’s U18s, he was promoted to the first team by José Mourinho ahead of the 2018–19 season, joining Michael Carrick as an assistant.

His time working alongside Mourinho was short, as the Portuguese manager was dismissed less than six months later.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer retained him, and together they helped United produce exciting football until their tactics lost momentum and the club opted for change.

After Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021 and replaced by interim manager Ralf Rangnick, Ipswich took a chance on him the following month, and they did not regret that choice.

While he fell short in 2022, failing to secure Championship promotion, he made amends by leading Ipswich to the second tier of English football in 2023 before guiding them to the Premier League in 2024—an impressive feat despite the challenges of the 2024–25 season.

McKenna remains under contract at Ipswich until 2028, and the club is likely still invested in his project.

Should Brentford pursue his appointment, it will be interesting to see how much they would need to pay to secure the former United coach.

With the quality squad Brentford have, no disrespect to Ipswich, McKenna could help them sustain their competitive edge in the top flight.

Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social