Ipswich Manager McKenna Acknowledges Tough Task of Facing Brighton

McKenna, who is 38 years old, is slightly older than German player Fabian Hürzeler, who is 31 years old, at Brighton.

“I think statistically, without knowing, I imagine that's probably a fact,” McKenna said about bosses getting younger. 

“I know when I started at Ipswich, at 35, I was the youngest coach in the EFL by quite a margin.

“And was the youngest coach in the EFL, the youngest manager, head coach, whatever name you want to put on it, for probably a good two-year run.

“But I think now in the EFL there are quite a few managers younger than me, I'll probably say thankfully.

“And in the Premier League as well, Brighton have made an appointment of a really good and really young manager as well.

“It seems to be that clubs are willing to look at managers from different backgrounds, younger managers, maybe managers who haven't had as many years playing experience, but more years coaching experience. That does seem to be a little bit more prevalent.

“But I've been asked this question lots over the last couple of years, being a young manager, and there are lots of good managers, no matter whether you're old or young, or whether you've got a playing background or played less in your background, had more of a coaching or teaching background.

“There are lots of different ways into the career and the profession, and there are lots of different attributes that can be gained in different ways and through different experiences.

“I think it's only a positive that if clubs are looking at a range of different profiles and trying to identify the right manager for their football club.”