Kieran McKenna exclusive: Liam Delap and 'greatest pride' in Ipswich players' journey from League One to Premier League

Kieran McKenna has been instrumental in leading Ipswich Town on a truly remarkable journey from mid-table in League One to the Premier League. In a wide-ranging interview ahead of his side's match against Brighton - which is live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - he has spoken of his pride in a large group of players who have climbed the divisions, and the unit they have now forged in the top flight.

McKenna on 'continuing the journey', managerial inspirations and being 'brave'

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Ipswich Town's recent rise, which includes back-to-back promotions, is all the more impressive given that such a significant number of players still representing the club in the Premier League have been there from the start in League One. It is something manager Kieran McKenna regards as "the greatest pride".

The fact that the Suffolk side have beaten Chelsea, Tottenham and Wolves already this season demonstrates that McKenna's players are adapting to the top flight admirably, despite the incredible pace of the club's climb and having been away from the Premier League for 22 years.

Jack Taylor and Sam Szmodics have joined a very select group of players to have scored in England's top five leagues, while captain Sam Morsy and Conor Chaplin have also scored in the top four divisions. The stats further exemplify the club's astonishing momentum, and McKenna is rightly proud of the journey his group have been on.

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"It is an incredible part of our story, really, and maybe one of the bits that certainly gives us the most pride, because we have taken so many players on the journey with us," he told TNT Sports ahead of Ipswich's match against Brighton - which can be streamed live on discovery+.

"The players have driven the bus, in essence, and our consistency from League One to the Championship was incredible, really. It was predominantly the same group of players who went from League One to then getting 96 points in one of the most competitive Championship seasons ever, which was incredible.

"Of course, then this summer, as a club you have a big decision to make because the finances and the access to players goes way up. There is a really hard balance to find between bringing in new players to help us try to be competitive in the division, but also showing a degree of loyalty to the players who have had such a big part in getting us here.

McKenna revels in ‘special night’ after Ipswich beat Chelsea, singles out Delap for praise

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"Also, benefitting from the consistency and what has got us to this point by keeping enough of those players from a cultural point of view off the pitch and a football point of view on the pitch. It was not an easy balance to try to find.

"Almost half of the group have been with us from League One, but then from League One and the Championship, more than half of the group have been with us, and then we have brought in quite a few players to help us this season. It is not an easy balance to have, and you have seen clubs go about it in different ways. We have tried to do it our way and tried to do it in the way that felt right and find the right balance.

"It has been a challenge, but it is something that gives us the greatest pride, and I think the reward is there in seeing how some of the players have stepped up. The amount of players now who have played for us and scored in all four divisions and a couple in five divisions in English football – things like that are an incredible reflection on the group and one of the things that make us most proud."

Delap surprises

Of the many Town players who have thrived so far this season playing at the top level, striker Liam Delap has certainly shone with his eight goals and two assists not telling the full story of his often-dominant displays. McKenna noted a few pleasant surprises the 21-year-old has provided, both on and off the pitch.

Liam Delap of Ipswich Town celebrates scoring his team's first goal from a penalty kick during the Premier League match between Ipswich Town FC and Chelsea FC.

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"I think he has evolved his game over the last 18 months," he said. "When we played against Liam at Portman Road last year, he was playing right wing. A lot of the time, he was used in wide areas more as a straight-line runner, obviously using his speed to run behind the defence. In the second half of last season, he was injured quite a bit.

"I think from when he came in for pre-season, we were surprised how good his back-to-goal game was. I think he filled out and his body has developed a lot in the last 12 months, so he’s a different frame from the Liam that was playing for Hull at Portman Road probably 14-15 months ago. We were surprised how good he was back-to-goal, and we were surprised how strong he was back-to-goal.

"In the end, you want to develop players’ super strengths and utilise their strengths in the team, and certainly Liam’s physical presence and his strength back-to-goal, his love of physical contact with defenders, is actually one of his outstanding strengths. So we try and use that as much as we can in the team and develop that as a team.

"He has definitely evolved his game and he is still growing, so his body has developed over the last 12 months and that has changed the focus a bit in terms of what he is capable of doing and how he can hurt the opposition.

"From a mental point of view, I’ve been really pleased with how he takes on information, because he is quite a fun-loving lad. He is pretty light-hearted most of the time and you get those reports before you sign him. But I have to say, from the first time you sit down and go through videos with him and talk to him about the game, go through details and tactical things, he is incredibly receptive and very football smart.

"He takes on information well and can apply things well, so I think that has been a pleasant surprise how high his learning capacity is and how he can take on information and implement things and how open he is to discussing his game and improving. So I think they are pretty good ingredients for a young player."

Kieran McKenna, Manager of Ipswich Town celebrates promotion to the Premier League following the Sky Bet Championship match between Ipswich Town and Huddersfield Town at Portman Road

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'Really special'

McKenna, who lives in the town with his family, is clearly relishing every moment of leading his side back in the top flight with a very united county and wider region behind them - and ever-growing support in Northern Ireland, too.

"It is really special, and I wouldn’t want to do it any other way, to be honest," he said on living locally and feeling so involved in it all. "You certainly feel it when you move down. It’s very much a one-club county, and it’s a town that was craving a football club on the up again, so to have helped be part of that is brilliant and be right in the thick of it is really nice.

"Obviously, everyone’s family situation is different and I’m quite fortunate that my kids are young enough that they are able to move, and my wife is from Ireland as well, so she was willing to come on the career journey with me. So it is really special being down here and having them down here as well, especially when you have a couple of years like we have done for them to have been at all the big moments and all the big matches at Portman Road, feeling the joy around their school and social life as well, it’s been really nice.

"It's been amazing from that side of things. My mum and dad come over from Ireland quite a lot, my brother and sister come over for a lot of games. One of my brothers has moved: he went to Suffolk University last year and has taken a job now in the town, so he is living here.

Kieran McKenna, Manager of Ipswich Town celebrates promotion to the Premier League following the Sky Bet Championship match between Ipswich Town and Huddersfield Town at Portman Road

Image credit: Getty Images

"County Fermanagh, where I am from, the pubs are all full for the matches, everyone is talking about it and wants to follow and support Ipswich and see us doing well. I think the same for a lot of Northern Ireland as well, so I know I have got an awful lot of backing and there are not many British managers now in the Premier League.

"There are very few managers from where I come from that have gone on to have careers across the water and be successful, so it is great to have that following. Of course, it is a bit of pressure, but it is nice pressure, and you just want to make everyone proud.

"I think being down here, it is really apparent how important it is and how much impact you can have. It doesn’t feel like a pressure. It is a really nice area and a pretty laid-back area, so you certainly feel how important it is, but without it feeling like a pressure cooker. I think it is a real love, a real passion, but also a nice environment, a supportive environment for staff and for players.

"I think in general, people are loving having Premier League football back in the town. They are looking forward to the games to see how we go against world-class teams and world-class players, and I think in general, they have enjoyed the games as well. Not every one has gone our way, but I think they have enjoyed how we have competed and enjoyed seeing the club back fighting on that level."

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