Dan11

As a unit, our patterns of play are complexed, intricate and finely tuned but McKenna makes it very simple for the players and concentrates on what they can do, rather than what they can't do. Every player knows their role and knows where they need to be if the ball is in 'position X' or position Y'. If Davis has that ball in behind, wide left you can bet Hirst/Broadhead are sucking the defenders into the box with Chaplin holding his position waiting for the pull back. I think you might be surprised what Manning can get out of some of the players. I am sure you have your Morsy/Burgess equivalents that can be transformed into totally different beasts.

It will be very similar - they share the same 'principles' (even got me saying it now!) and values on how football should be played. We played out a 0-0 draw with his MK team that from a coaching perspective must have been the highest level game played in L1 for a long time. McKenna tweaked it, Manning tweaked it ad infinitum and we just cancelled each other out. You could have listened to both post match interviews and not known which one was talking.

I guarantee that you won't have a clue what formation you are playing. It will transition between 3-4-3, 3-5-2 and 4-2-3-1 within games let alone from game to game. Get used to hearing the word 'principles'.

They got absolutely 'Ains-worthed' in the play offs! A total shithousing.

He hit the ground running at MK. Got them playing effectively to his principles almost instantly. I think you will have a good crack at the top 6 this year.

Much like McKenna, he will avoid all talk about formations and instead talk about 'principles' and moving players about within games and in/out of possession. At MK, he was very fluid between 4-2-3-1, 3-5-2, 3-4-3. I've flicked through this thread with interest and surprised by the negativity! He would be a great appointment for you. Us Ipswich fans were worried he might end up at Norwich.

If he does half as much good for you as Ashton has done here, it will be fantastic appointment!

Ipswich fan here... Manning is a very impressive coach with quite a similar background to McKenna. He has spent years learning his craft, specialising as a coach after retiring from football young. He started coaching at Ipswich in his 20's and was very highly thought of before going to West Ham where he did an excellent job. He was then poached by and progressed through the ranks with the 'City Group' who don't just take any mug! His MK Dons side were fantastic (we played them a couple of times in L1) and they were extremely unfortunate not to get promoted with 89 points. If he hadn't lost everyone half decent from that side, he would have challenged again last year (thankfully for us he did and they didn't!). It is no surprise to me he has got Oxford playing great football and competing at the top of the league this year. If McKenna were to go tomorrow, I can guarantee he would be most Ipswich fans choice to take over. He shares the same footballing principles and also has a lot of the same personality qualities - very emotionally intelligent and players will love playing for him. His assistant (assuming he comes too) Chris Hogg is also a fantastic coach that was highly thought of here too and he ended up spending time at Newcastle as U23s coach.