Ipswich Town Set to Appoint Gary O’Neil as New Head Coach
Ipswich Town are in the closing stages of agreeing a deal to appoint Gary O’Neil as their new head coach, with the move expected to be confirmed in the coming days.
O’Neil, who currently manages French Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg, has reportedly agreed personal terms with the Suffolk club. The 43-year-old is set to replace Kieran McKenna, who stepped down from his position at Portman Road earlier this month. Formal confirmation is still pending, but talks between the two parties are understood to have progressed well.
Strasbourg Compensation Still Being Finalised
Compensation between Ipswich and Strasbourg is still to be agreed, though the matter is not expected to be a major obstacle to completing the move. O’Neil only took over at Strasbourg in January, meaning he could depart the club less than six months after arriving.
Ipswich have reportedly been negotiating with BlueCo, the ownership group that also owns Chelsea and controls Strasbourg, with talks described as positive. A formal announcement could come as early as next week.
Backroom Staff Set to Follow O’Neil
O’Neil is expected to bring members of his coaching staff with him to Suffolk, including Tim Jenkins and Neil Critchley, both of whom worked alongside him in France.
Why O’Neil, and Why Now
O’Neil’s ties to Ipswich run deeper than just the current vacancy — his relationship with chief executive Mark Ashton dates back to his playing days at Bristol City, where Ashton held the same executive role at Ashton Gate.
Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton has described the appointment as “imminent,” saying he is “as comfortable as I can be” with where talks stand. Ashton also stressed the scale of the rebuild ahead, noting the club will need “a big change of players” and must bring in “Premier League-ready players imminently.”
Former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had also been under consideration for the role in recent weeks, but O’Neil has emerged as the clear frontrunner.
O’Neil’s Managerial Record
O’Neil returns to English football off the back of a mixed but eye-catching season in France. His Strasbourg side finished eighth in Ligue 1 and reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals — the club’s first such run — before losing to Rayo Vallecano. They also reached the Coupe de France semi-finals, though their Ligue 1 form dipped significantly in the process, and they missed out on European qualification for next season altogether.
Before his spell at Strasbourg, O’Neil managed both Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, giving him recent top-flight experience — a key factor in his appeal to the Ipswich hierarchy as they prepare for life back in the Premier League.
McKenna’s Ipswich Legacy
O’Neil’s predecessor leaves behind a strong record at Portman Road. Kieran McKenna took charge in 2021 and delivered three promotions in four seasons, two of which returned the club to the Premier League, having also finished second in the Championship last season.
