New Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna delivers measured business-like approach in first press conference since leaving Manchester United
'Chalk and cheese' comes to mind when comparing former incumbent Paul Cook's first press conference in charge of Ipswich Town to Kieran McKenna's this afternoon.
Back in March the aforementioned Liverpudlian had bowled in 20 minutes late in his training gear and bobble hat before giving playful quips to his first questions, setting a jovial tone.
There was none of that today though as, flanked by CEO Mark Ashton, things started bang on time with rookie boss McKenna appearing on Zoom waiting in full suit with a blue-and-white tie and pristine white shirt.
There was confidence but not arrogance soon coming across with ambition flanked by realism and positivity about working with the players already at his disposal, despite the fast approaching January transfer window looming.
It was very much a formal, business-like tone which dominated his opening 37 minutes in front of the media, who were allocated one question each to the Northern Irishman and his new boss.
That alone was very different to how things had been handled in Cook's solo effort under the previous Marcus Evans regime with BBC Radio Suffolk's Brenner Woolley having gone through a plethora of questions before others freely chipped in.
In his short tenure Cook had the tendency to bat away a question or could make the journalist instantly feel uncomfortable for asking it with his response.
But former Manchester United coach McKenna gave a full, measured answer to everything put to him and delivered it with a highly respectful tone.
The 35-year-old made no big declarations about making up the gap to the Sky Bet League One play-off places – currently 10 points – and although his sense of realism was clear, he equally insinuated he sees the season as far from a lost cause.
Asked about his short-term and long-term ambitions as a manager early on, not just with Ipswich but in general, his reply encapsulated how he handled things.
"Short-term and certainly medium-term I'm not going to be looking any further than this football club at the moment and what we have to do to get it going in the right direction," he said.
"Obviously as soon as you come down here you realise what it means to people and what a fantastic club it is with the passion from the fanbase and the support.
"But also we realise where we are in the league table. It has not been a successful couple of years, there is a lot of work to be done behind the scenes in all aspects really that need to be improved.
"Short-term my focus is obviously on Gillingham coming up on Boxing Day but also on making the immediate little improvements that I feel can be made around the training ground and around the building to improve the environment.
"As I say, it has been a difficult season so far for the team but we feel the season is still alive and we want to improve and pick up results.
"We want to focus on improving the performances of the team as quickly as we can and hopefully results will come from that.
"And I think with the quality in the squad it is possible that we can put a run of results together and if we can do that, let's see where we are in a couple of months."
He added: "In terms of the longer-term focus of the club, everyone knows that the owners are coming in with big ambition. They have invested a lot in the squad, they have invested in myself and my staff and the ambition is to get Ipswich Town back up to the top levels of English football where it was and where we feel it belongs. And where everyone wants to see it.
"For myself longer-term, I have worked well myself to get myself to a very, very high level in the coaching profession.
"I have worked at the highest level in the Premier League and the Champions League and coached Champions League games at 32 years old.
"I have worked at that level and enjoyed it and that is definitely an aspiration to be back at that level as a manager. And, of course, the ultimate goal and dream is to do that with Ipswich Town but look, we know it is step by step and there is a long way to go.
"It is nice to have long-term goals and ambitions and to feel the passion of everyone at the club to get it back up to the very top. But the most important thing now is the day-to-day of getting to work step by step improving the team and the club in every little way I can.
"A big part of the conversations with Mark was that we feel if we put the right things in place, if we work day by day then with the support and investment we have eventually the success and moving up the leagues, that will come. But it will come as a product of the things we do day-to-day."
Formations and Cook's wedlock to 4-2-3-1 proved a key issue in losing the backing of the Portman Road faithful.
So his answer to SuffolkNews' question about whether he had a preferred formation to set his players up in will provide music to their ears.
"Look, I've got very strong ideas on my principles of play and how I want the team to play," he said.
"In terms of formation, for me, especially at this stage of the season, it's about being versatile to the strengths of the players and what they're comfortable with and what is going to suit the playing squad.
"I'm a big believer in style and principles are more important than formation.
"I think within any formation that can look differently whether you are in possession or out of possession, whether it is first phase or third phase of the game.
"So I'm not a big believer, I don't speak to players a lot about 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 or 3-5-2. I think it is about players understanding their roles and responsibilities on the pitch, what spaces we want to attack and defend.
"The principles and the style we work to is the over-riding thing and within that the formation can then be adapted according to, primarily, our players and what suits the playing squad that we have. But also according to the opposition and how we want to hurt them and attack them in any given game."
So what is his principles and style? He admitted to not wanting to give too much away but did give fans an early flavour of what he hopes to instil in the Blues going forward.
Asked if he would need to be attritional for League One and then look to alter things if he takes Town up, or would be set on how he wants to play from the start, McKenna replied: "I've got a clear idea on how I want the game to be played.
"I want us to be positive and dominate games. I want us to play in the opposition's half, I want us to attack in a clearly structured but well balanced and agressive way to create chances and score goals.
"Without the ball I want to be aggressive and win the ball back as high up the pitch as we can so I don't think that is going to change too much across the leagues.
"Obviously I know it is winter time and the pitches aren't maybe perfect across the league and things like that at this moment.
"I would like to think I am adaptable enough to adapt where appropriate to the league and the players. But I have got a clear idea on how I want the team to play.
"We won't get there overnight but I will be looking to implement some principles and certain things to our style of play right from the off.
"And I'm sure with more time to work with the players and the club to bring in players who fit the profile that I want that we will be able to put a team and a style of play on the pitch that the Ipswich fans will really get behind."
Ashton for his part revealed they were looking to back McKenna in the January transfer window, despite shelling out for 19 first-team players under Cook in the summer.
McKenna was keen to stress he is 99 per cent focused on what is already in the building, however, and getting the best out of them.
Again, the differences with the comparison of self-titled 'demolition man' Cook early in his Town tenure are immediately vast.
Whatever they thought of the sacking of experienced Cook just four months after putting together a new squad, Ipswich Town fans will be united in hoping McKenna's results record at the club will soon be another chalk and cheese comparison.
