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Ipswich nears O’Neil
Ipswich Town are working to finalise the appointment of Strasbourg’s Gary O’Neil as their new head coach, with a deal to bring in the 43-year-old as Kieran McKenna’s replacement in the final stages and an aim to announce him next week.
The New York Times said Ipswich’s talks with BlueCo, which owns Strasbourg and fellow Premier League side Chelsea, have been positive, and it is likely O’Neil will bring close associates Tim Jenkins and Neil Critchley with him from the French side.
The BBC reported that Ipswich are close to appointing O’Neil and that he is poised to replace Kieran McKenna, who stepped down from the Portman Road post earlier this month.
Ipswich are looking for a new head coach after McKenna stepped down last week, and the BBC said the Tractor Boys open their Premier League campaign at home to Sunderland on 22 August.
The BBC also noted that compensation with O’Neil’s current club Strasbourg is still to be agreed, but is not expected to be an issue for Ipswich.
Staff moves and contenders
The New York Times said O’Neil quickly became established as a strong contender to succeed McKenna after the Northern Irishman confirmed earlier this month he was leaving Portman Road after four and a half years in the role.
It added that O’Neil was appointed Strasbourg head coach in January to succeed Liam Rosenior, who had joined Chelsea to replace Enzo Maresca, and that under O’Neil Strasbourg finished eighth in Ligue 1.
The BBC said Tim Jenkins and Neil Critchley are also expected to move to Suffolk with ex-Bournemouth and Wolves boss O’Neil, having worked with him in France.
The BBC also reported that former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in the running for the job this week, while TWTD framed the decision as a betting market shift with O’Neil now 1/2 with one bookmaker and Solskjaer having slipped to 6/4.
McKenna’s departure was accompanied by his own statement, with the BBC quoting: "I feel this is the right time for me to step aside."
What happens next
With Ipswich working to finalise the O’Neil appointment, the BBC said the club is looking for a new head coach after McKenna stepped down last week despite leading them back to the top flight by finishing second in the Championship last season.
The New York Times described the timing pressure around the move, saying the aim is to announce the Englishman next week, and it linked the process to Ipswich’s talks with BlueCo, which owns Strasbourg and Chelsea.
The BBC reported that O’Neil will return to the Premier League for the first time since leaving Wolves in December 2024, and it said Strasbourg had initially been confident of keeping him following his January arrival.
TWTD set the broader context of O’Neil’s recent record by saying Strasbourg won 13, drew six and lost eight of his 27 games in charge and finished eighth in the table.
As Ipswich prepare for the start of their Premier League campaign, the BBC said they open at home to Sunderland on 22 August, placing the new head coach decision directly ahead of the club’s first match.
