Jason Cundy claims that he’s heard new speculation about Chelsea’s search for their next manager that he finds “very strange”.
Chelsea now find themselves needing to appoint a new head coach after Mauricio Pochettino left by mutual consent on Tuesday.
Despite signing a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge last summer, Pochettino has walked away from Stamford Bridge after finishing sixth in the Premier League.
It’s now full focus from supporters on the next individual to sit in the dugout at Chelsea.
With the short-life span of managers under this ownership, the next man should tread carefully before coming to west London. It’s now Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Pochettino that have left full-time roles at the club in the last two years.
Jason Cundy baffled by Chelsea manager rumour
TalkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy admits he finds it quite odd to see Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna quite strongly linked with Chelsea in the media.
The Evening Standard reports that McKenna has given the green light for Chelsea to step up their move for him. It is understood that the Northern Irishman is on the Blues shortlist to be their next head coach.
Cundy doesn’t sound certain about the idea of the 38-year-old Ipswich boss succeeding Pochettino at the Bridge, though.
When asked if he would be happy with McKenna as the next Chelsea manager, Cundy told talkSPORT: “I’d find it a very, very strange appointment. I can’t sit here and say I’d be delighted because he’s an unknown quantity. He’s never managed a game in the Premier League.
“He’s done a remarkable job managing Ipswich. Ipswich is a big club, but it’s a big club in League One… We’ve seen how [Graham] Potter kind of struggled with the step up.”
What has Kieran McKenna achieved?
It’s a fair observation that McKenna has never managed a Premier League club before, albeit he was previously an assistant at Manchester United.
The young coach has received links to Chelsea despite the fact he’s only ever been in one senior manager role before, which is the current position he’s in with Ipswich.
McKenna finished 11th in League One during his first year at Ipswich after joining them midway through the 2021/22 campaign. Remarkably, he’s followed that up by guiding Ipswich to back-to-back promotions all the way to the Premier League for next season.
His side blitzed through League One and the Championship playing a style of football that includes lots of possession, as well as short passes and high pressing.
The Chelsea Chronicle feels like this would still be a risky appointment on a highly-rated but inexperienced manager. If the job was too big for Potter, could McKenna fall into the same trap?
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