'A step back' - McKenna sees progress despite Ipswich struggles
- Published
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna believes his side have made progress in 2024-25, despite the Tractor Boys staring at the Premier League trap door going into the weekend.
Ipswich were playing their football in League One as recently as 2024 and gained promotion from the Championship last season by finishing second.
But McKenna's team will be consigned to an instant Championship return on Saturday if they fail to win at Newcastle and 17th-placed West Ham avoid defeat at Brighton.
Leicester City and Southampton, teams that were promoted from the second tier last year alongside Ipswich, have already been relegated.
"(We are) in a project that has been an incredible journey - the project here is to try and build a sustainable Premier League football club," said McKenna.
"We have taken some incredible steps to do that quicker than anyone would have believed.
"It looks like we are going to take a step back this year, but that is often how progression needs to happen.
"We are all focused on making the best of the next few games and then tackling the next challenge, whatever it will be next season. It is my full 100 per cent focus."