Gary O'Neil Named Ipswich Town Manager
Gary O'Neil, former manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth, has been appointed as the new manager of Ipswich Town. The 43-year-old succeeds Kieran McKenna, who resigned from his position at Portman Road earlier this month.
O'Neil has agreed to a three-year contract with Ipswich following his departure from Strasbourg, where he had been in charge since January 2024. During his tenure at the French club, he led Strasbourg to an eighth-place finish in Ligue 1 last season and guided them to the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, where they were eliminated by Rayo Vallecano in their first-ever appearance at that stage of a European competition.
"It is an honour to be appointed manager of this great football club," said O'Neil, who will be joined by coaches Tim Jenkins and Neil Critchley, with whom he previously worked in France.
"I have followed the progress the club has made over the last few years closely, and to now have the opportunity to lead Ipswich Town in the Premier League is something I am hugely excited by.
"There is a strong vision and ambition at this club and I am fully aware of the responsibility that brings, given how much it means to its supporters and to the community of Ipswich and Suffolk.
"We all know the challenge ahead as we prepare for the season together and I'm excited to meet everyone and get to work."
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was also considered for the Ipswich role. had reported Ipswich's interest in O'Neil earlier this month, and he has long been held in high regard by the club's leadership.
O'Neil, a former midfielder, played at Bristol City during the time Ipswich chief executive Mark Ashton held the same role at Ashton Gate. Strasbourg had initially hoped to retain O'Neil following his January appointment, but this move marks his return to the Premier League after leaving Wolves in December 2024.
Kieran McKenna, aged 40, resigned despite having led Ipswich back to the Premier League by securing second place in the Championship last season. He took charge of the Tractor Boys in 2021 and achieved three promotions in four seasons, two of which elevated the club to the Premier League.
McKenna was linked with the Fulham managerial position following Marco Silva's departure but chose to step down from Ipswich to take a break from football and spend more time with his family.
Ipswich Town will begin their Premier League campaign with a home match against Sunderland on 22 August.
Analysis: O'Neil to Lead Ipswich's Premier League Survival Bid
Gary O'Neil returns to the Premier League after an 18-month absence. Ipswich accelerated their search for a new manager early last week, considering candidates including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but O'Neil had been a long-standing target for the club.
He was widely regarded as the ideal successor to McKenna, with internal expectations favoring his appointment. Ipswich anticipated McKenna's departure, whether to another club or otherwise, and prepared accordingly.
Negotiations with O'Neil progressed rapidly on Thursday. Like most managers, he sought assurances regarding recruitment policies and the club's financial capabilities. These concerns were addressed satisfactorily, although Strasbourg and their owners, BlueCo, were keen to retain him in France.
O'Neil held positive discussions with Behdad Eghbali, Chelsea's co-owner and the majority shareholder of BlueCo, the consortium owning both Chelsea and Strasbourg. Eghbali expressed a desire to keep O'Neil; however, budget constraints and the anticipated difficulty in replacing players Emmanuel Emegha and Valentin Barco, who are expected to join Chelsea, influenced the decision.
Ipswich Town are expected to invest in strengthening their squad ahead of their Premier League return, with survival as the primary objective, aiming to compete effectively with the league's bottom six teams.
The club believes it is better prepared for top-flight football this season compared to two years ago, following McKenna's leadership in achieving successive promotions from League One.
O'Neil will receive support from the club's hierarchy. After his previous managerial spells at Bournemouth and Wolves ended prematurely, this appointment offers him an ideal opportunity to re-establish himself in the Premier League.
