
Ashley Young believes Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna will improve the team's performance in the Premier League next season. Young, now retired, praised McKenna's playing style and the club's recent promotion.
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Former England international Ashley Young has heaped praise on Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna and expects the club to fare better in the Premier League next season than they did in 2024-25.
Young has now retired from football but was part of the Tractor Boys squad that finished second in the Championship and won immediate promotion back to the top flight following relegation last season.
"You see the way that he [McKenna] wants to play football, I think the fans here have to bite their tongue a little bit, they're worried at times," Young told BBC Radio Suffolk.
"But he's a fantastic manager. I hope he goes on to have a fantastic career and next season is better than the season when they got relegated. I've got every confidence in him that he's going to go on and do that."
Ipswich have won three promotions in four seasons under McKenna - from League One in 2023 and the Championship in 2024 and 2026.
"It is incredible to be honest," said Young, who previously played for Aston Villa, Manchester United, Inter Milan and Everton.
"I knew what he was like, I knew what man he was. It's not just him as the manager, him on the pitch, it's him off the pitch.
"It's the reason why I signed here. I knew him from Manchester United, I knew his work ethic and we've got a similar work ethic.
Ipswich Town finished second in the Championship, securing immediate promotion back to the Premier League.
Ashley Young praised Kieran McKenna's approach to playing football and believes it will benefit Ipswich Town in the Premier League.
Ashley Young expects Ipswich Town to perform better in the Premier League next season compared to their previous stint in 2024-25.


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"He probably stays up longer than me in the night. He probably gets in earlier than me, but he's been fantastic for me."
Young, who made 13 league appearances for Town this season, won a Premier League and Serie A title, an FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League across a 23-year career.
The 40-year-old capped it off with promotion to the top flight with Ipswich and added: "It's a fitting way to end a career."