Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna hails victory against Tottenham Hotspur as ‘really significant moment’ as Blues bring up first win at 11th attempt
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna says the Blues’ first Premier League win of the season – 2-1 away at his old club Tottenham Hotspur – is a ‘really significant’ landmark in their top-tier journey.
Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap netted the goals which gave the Tractor Boys a 2-0 lead at half-time and, despite pulling one back, Town held on for their first Premier League win of the season at the 11th attempt ahead of going into the November international break.
“I think it’s massive, I’m not going to shy away from that, it’s a really significant moment and a day to cherish, certainly in the recent history of the football club,” he said.
“Even if you take out this season, you look at the journey the club’s been on in the last 22 years, the ups and downs, some highs but some of the depths as well.
“I think for the supporters to see their club win in the Premier League at a club like Tottenham, a fantastic club in a stadium like this against a team like that, is a massive day for them.
“For us, who have been involved in the journey for the last couple of years, it’s a really significant day as well, from where the club was two years ago to now be competing in the Premier League over the first games is a big step.
“But to now make that next step and to win a Premier League game is a really, really significant landmark in the journey, and, of course, for this group this season.
“As we’ve said many times, it’s a relatively new group coming together, trying to adjust to the Premier League and the demands of the Premier League, adjusting many of the players to a new club as well.
“It’s a really significant step for them because we feel like there’s been some good work going on since pre-season really, there’s been some improvement over the course of the games, we feel like players are adapting and learning and we’ve competitive in lots of our games.
“But, of course, for this group, until you take that last step and win a game, that’s always going to be held over you a little bit, so to do that today, to do that in the manner that we did and do it against this football club’s a really a big day for us.”
McKenna was asked given his history with Spurs, where he spent 14 years as a player and academy coach, he had a feeling that this would be the game where the winless start to the season would come to an end.
“I didn’t have a feeling that it would be because of that,” he smiled. “It is a really nice moment. I came to this club as a 14-year-old and left home and I’ve never went back.
“It’s nice to do it here, there’s no doubt about that. My father was in the crowd and lots of people will be very, very proud.
“It’s nice to do it here, a club that I’ve got a great affinity for, but also it’s good to do it against a really good team, I have to say.
“Tottenham are a fantastic team, playing really, really well at home, amazing atmosphere in the stadium, so to come here and do it, I think is more special for everyone, and certainly for me, it’s a nice reflection as well.”
McKenna says the display had all the ingredients required: “I have to say, the first half was pretty much spot on. We know for a team in our context, coming away from home to a team in this context and this strength that there are certain elements that have to be spot on.
“For us, the whole season we’ve built such a brave identity of play that we want to stay true to, but we also know it’s a huge step up and we need to be clever in terms how we’re going to compete for points.
“I thought today, our balance of that was really, really good. I thought we showed our identity in some moments where we pressed high in the first half and were aggressive and played with intensity and made it hard for Tottenham to build.
“We showed it in times where we played brave and built out from the back. We scored two goals, one where we controlled the ball with a lot of possession and another goal a terrific goal on the counter-attack.
“We managed the game well, we controlled the set plays well, we used them to our advantage. Our organisation out of possession, our discipline out of possession was terrific and the subs had a good impact, and Aro [Muric] made a couple of saves and we were pretty clinical with most of our chances.
“In terms of the ingredients that you need to come here and get a result, you need a lot of those things to go right and I think in the first half, we executed fantastically well.”
Regarding the performance after the break, he added: “I think we managed the second half pretty well. You know that the momentum at 2-0, we’ve been here before, it’s a really tough scoreline and you know that they’re terrific in the second half of games, especially shooting against that end, and you know that there are going to be some big momentum.
“But I thought we generally managed that pretty well. They’ve scored a good set play where they worked a block and got their spare man in, but I thought we defended well, we always had a threat or an occupation to get up the pitch, Liam [Delap] kept the centre-halves occupied, Omari [Hutchinson] carried the ball up the pitch, so it never felt like we were completely pinned into our box.
“It didn’t feel like we were getting carved open and they were creating big, big chances, it was more they had some pressure, they had some set plays and, of course, they scored on of them, which can happen.
“I thought we managed it well, they put lots of forwards on the pitch and they pushed the game well, but I think in general the way we managed the second half, I think we deserved to get it over the line.”
Regarding Delap and Hutchinson’s displays, he added: “I thought he did really well, I thought he and Liam led the team really well on the top end of the pitch.
“And to have two 21-year-olds doing that in the Premier League is a really good ting for the football club, as I’ve said before.
“That was a big positive. I wouldn’t like to talk about Omari and Liam without talking about Conor Chaplin and George Hirst because a big part of our season being successful was always going to be our more experienced players who have been at the club for longer setting an example for new players or younger players.
“And if you look at the last away game, the way Conor and George played, they really set the marker down for the demands of a number nine and number 10 in an Ipswich Town shirt. They’ve done that every single day in training.
“If you do that and you have talented young players in the building, the talented young players can learn from that and I think that has rubbed off on the two boys and Liam and Omari I thought did a terrific job leading the team today.”
McKenna said midfielder Jens Cajuste was fine after an impressive display when he was replaced in the latter stages.
“He’s just tired, as you’d expect him to be,” he said. “I thought he was outstanding against another brilliant Swedish player [Dejan Kulusevski]. I thought his work on and off the ball was top.”
Regarding Hirst, who suffered a severe blow to the head from Rado Dragusin as the final whistle was being blown, McKenna said: “He seems OK, he’s got a big bandage on his head, he’s in good spirits, he had a knock on his knee as well, which I’m sure they’ll check out but he seems to be moving pretty well.”
The Blues boss was asked what left-back Leif Davis has to do to get in the England squad, as he has on a number of occasions already this season.
“That’s not for me,” McKenna smiled. “England have got good players and competition in all the positions. Leif’s a good player and he’s improving, he’s improved season-by-season.
“He’s certainly adapting now to the Premier League and he’s done that in the Championship, he’s done that in League One and if he keeps working as he is, then he’s going to go from strength-to-strength and if you do that, then other things take care of themselves.”
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou commented on Town’s game management in the second half with home fans showing their frustration with the length of time keeper Muric was taking over goal-kicks and also with a number of injury breaks.
“We had some injuries in the game that you can’t avoid,” he said. “Of course, managing the game when you come to a place like this, they’re fantastic at getting the ball in play quickly.
“Every restart they get the ball and play really, really quickly and they play a pretty relentless game, so I think any team who is going to come here and try and get a result, and certainly any team in our context, you’re going to have to find ways to control the intensity of the game, and I thought we did that really well.”
Blues sponsor and pink third kit co-designer Ed Sheeran visited the dressing room after the match.
“He popped in and it was nice to see him and he congratulated the boys,” McKenna said. “We had his designed kit on today, so maybe he brought us a little bit of luck.
“Everyone knows he’s been an important part of the club in the last few years with the support that he gives us. Nice for him to be here today.”
The Blues now have two weeks without a game before McKenna’s other club Manchester United visit Portman Road.
“We’ll have a few days off now,” he said. “Lots of the players go on international duty, those who aren’t internationals will have a few days off and then we’ll be back in by the back end of the week and we’ve got a nice long run-in to another brilliant game after the break.”
Does he believe today’s result will have an impact on home atmosphere when the Red Devils visit a fortnight today.
“I don’t think it will change too much, to be honest,” he said. “If you’ve felt the atmosphere at Portman Road this season, it’s been electric anyway, so I don’t know if it can go up too much.
“Our preparation’s been thorough, our work day today has been really good. People can probably let their shoulders back a little bit in terms of enjoying it, probably more so the supporters in terms of enjoying the season and looking forward to the game and not having it hanging over them of when the first win would come.
“But for us, I don’t think it changes much to the process. We’ll get the players back after the international break, prepare the game as well as we can and go and try and put on a big display at Portman Road against a great club.”