How Scott Parker to Brentford news has impacted Ipswich Town "stress" that's been building | OneFootball

The Town boss is not the only candidate that the Bees are looking at to replace Thomas Frank.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Thomas Frank has been officially appointed as Tottenham's new manager, which means they will be after a replacement. The managers of Ipswich Town and Burnley have both been linked.

It first appeared that the full focus of the west London club's search for a replacement for their now-previous Danish boss was solely going to focus on Kieran McKenna. Despite being relegated with the Tractor Boys last term, the Northern Irish boss is still extremely highly rated.

He was targeted by Chelsea and Manchester United last summer, and now he's an option for Brentford, but not the only one. Scott Parker is also someone that the Bees are watching closely, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Scott Parker, Brentford links dampen the Kieran McKenna worries

Based off of last year's scares regarding McKenna, Ipswich supporters will be all too familiar with the uncertainty of a higher-ranking club going after their boss.

The links with the Burnley boss have made Football League World's Town fan pundit, Adam Wilkin, less nervous. He believes that, if the 37-year-old chooses to stay at Portman Road over an immediate Premier League return, it will be an incredible boost for the club.

"I think until Brentford appoint a new manager there will still be that hint of worry there, the same with any Premier League club that loses its manager," said Wilkin.

"McKenna's stock is high, which means he's likely to be linked to a number of these jobs over the summer, depending on how many changes happen in the Premier League.

"Since the Parker rumours have come out, my stress level have eased a little bit. He's more of a tactical fit to step into Frank's defensive back-five tactical mentality, rather than McKenna, who just has one game plan that he really likes and has developed. So I can see why Parker is being linked.

"You can never rule anything out in this kind of market. If McKenna is linked and he does stay, again, after last year's speculation, it would really show how much he believes in the project and the club; the overall leadership behind Ipswich. It'd be an incredible show of loyalty that you don't really see that often these days.

"I'm a little less nervous, but, still, you never know."

Kieran McKenna's future prospects may be higher with Ipswich

Ipswich are among the favourites to win promotion to the Premier League next season, and it's no wonder given what they did with a worse squad the last time they were in the Championship. If McKenna stays, those odds will do anything but drop.

If, however, he were to move to the GTech Community Stadium, the likelihood of him still being a top flight manager with the team that he started the 2025/26 season with maybe wouldn't be so high.

There's a good chance that Brentford are going to lose star forward Bryan Mbeumo this summer, and maybe even Yoane Wissa. The Cameroonian is being linked with his old boss' new club as well as Man United by Sky Sports.

Even though, in the scenario which sees McKenna join Brentford, he would have a good bit of extra cash to put into the squad thanks to the sale of Mbeumo, it'll still be hard to make up for what the forward offers, and they could well see themselves fighting to stay in the Premier League.

If McKenna is dead set on managing at the highest level, sticking in the Championship, for now, may be his best bet.