Next Ipswich Manager Odds: After Gary O'Neill

Re-wind a couple of years and McKenna was being linked with leaving Ipswich for bigger things. At that time, we suggested Liam Rosenior could be a name the Ipswich decision makers could be interested in. We stand by that.

Yes, Rosenior had a bit of a nightmare spell at Chelsea but that is why he might be tempted to a club like Ipswich. The Tractor Boys typically show huge loyalty and patience with their managers and Rosenior surely needs that after being a social media laughing stock at Stamford Bridge.

Ashton and co won't be judging the former Portman Road loanee by his spell at Chelsea either. You don't become a bad coach overnight and Chelsea is hardly the most stable environment. Rosenior has a good body of work he can point to at Hull, where he coached now Ipswich duo Jaden Philogene and Jacob Greaves, and Strasbourg.

Tipping Bryan Barry-Murphy to be the next Ipswich Town manager feels like a wild take. He's never managed a game above League One level but it is the sort of appointment that comes straight out of the Mark Ashton playbook.

Ashton took a punt on McKenna five years ago and whilst that was an easier punt in the third-tier as opposed to in the toughest league in the world, he does regularly talk of the enjoyment he gets from making bold appointments. This would certainly be that.

With that said, the Cardiff manager certainly boasts an impressive backstory. Most notable in that, not forgetting the fact he's just taken the Bluebirds to promotion, is perhaps his previous role where he spent a three-year period in charge of Man City's Elite Development Squad. With Ipswich looking to build for the future in a sustainable way, following a player-trading model, it could just happen.

His odds have shortened massively since the vacancy was announced too.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer isn't the immediate name that springs to mind when considering the next Ipswich Town manager but the more you think about it, the more it makes sense.

Kieran McKenna is known to be good friends with the Norwegian, as well as having worked alongside him for a period of time at Man United and he's also attended Portman Road several times because of that relationship. It likely means he already has some form of, at least, light-touch relationship with some of the Ipswich hierarchy.

With McKenna having left his post on very good terms, it is highly plausible he's been asked for his opinion on who comes next.

Throw into the mix Solskjaer has Premier League experience, is a name that could attract talented players and, critically, has previously worked with McKenna's backroom staff that remain at Portman Road and does it start to come together? Maybe.