McKenna’s playing career was short-lived, ending at the age of just 22 due to an ongoing hip injury, which stopped him making an appearance at senior level. Although he did play for Northern Ireland U19s and U21s.
Following his retirement from playing, he spent time as a youth coach at a variety of football clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest and even overseas at Canadian side Vancouver Whitecaps.
His first official coaching role was at Spurs when he took charge of the U18s team in 2015, before he moved to Manchester United to take charge of their U18s team a year later. He eventually became the Red Devils’ assistant manager.
He began his managerial career at Ipswich Town at the end of 2021 and guided the club to promotion back to the Championship in his first full season in charge.
The following season he guided Ipswich to stunning back-to-back promotions as they became the first team since Southampton in 2011 and 2012 to win successive promotions to the Premier League from League One.
McKenna's first official coaching role came when he took charge of Tottenham’s Under-18s team in 2015. Even before this, McKenna had been involved with Spurs’ youth setup for many years.
McKenna spent just over a year in charge of Spurs’ under-18s team and led them to the FA Youth Cup semi-final.
In August 2016, McKenna joined Manchester United's academy and spent two years coaching Manchester United’s Under-18s team, guiding them to the Premier League Northern Division title in his second season.
McKenna was then promoted to assistant manager of the Manchester United senior team along with Michael Carrick just before the beginning of the 2018/19 season.
He spent the first few months as assistant to Jose Mourinho but the Portuguese manager was sacked in December 2018 and replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who kept McKenna and Carrick in their roles.
McKenna also remained in post when Ralf Rangnick became interim boss in November 2021.
But just over a month later he took the opportunity to join struggling League One side Ipswich Town, becoming the 19th permanent manager in the club's history.
McKenna’s first managerial role came at the tender age of 35 when he took the reins at Portman Road on December 16, 2021.
He was able to improve the club’s form in the second-half of the 2021/22 campaign, winning seven of his first ten games and evenutually guided the club to an 11th-placed finish.
In his first full season in charge of the club, McKenna took the Suffolk-based outfit to automatic promotion from League One to the Championship, finishing in second-place with an impressive 98 point haul at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Tractor Boys enjoyed another successive promotion after finishing second on their return to the Championship, one point behind champions Leicester and six points clear of third-placed Leeds.
A 2-0 win over Huddersfield on the final day of the season saw Ipswich Tractor Boys complete a stunning back-to-back promotion as they became the first team since Southampton in 2011 and 2012 to win successive promotions to the top-flight from League One.
McKenna hailed his side’s “amazing achievement” as the club returned to the Premier League for the first time in 22-years.
“Everyone deserves it, the whole town deserves it, the players…for how hard they’ve worked. And the supporters, who’ve followed so loyally for years and have been waiting for a day like this.
“We just set out to be as good as we could possibly be. The closer you get to the end you know you’re within reach of an amazing achievement and we’re so glad we were able to finish off well.”
McKenna’s achievements see him named alongside a fine pedigree of Ipswich managers including Sir Alf Ramsey, Sir Bobby Robson and George Burley, but he still believes there is a “long way to go” to join those managers.
“It’s been incredible to be manager of the club from day one and days like today (even) more so,” he added.
“There’s a fantastic history, with some amazing managers who brought this club to the very highest level of European football.
“We know we’ve progressed a lot in a short space of time but we have a long way to go to be in that sort of company.
“We’re so proud of what we’ve done but hopefully there’s good days ahead for the club as well. It’s something to cherish.”
Though born in London, McKenna grew up in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland and as well as his coaching badges studied sports science at Loughborough University.
He has been witrh his partner since he was 16 and the couple have two children together.
McKenna has a net worth of around £1.5million and is reportedly on around £25,000-a-week wage plus bonuse at Ipswich.
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