Ipswich Town Nears Appointment of Gary O’Neil as Head Coach

Ipswich Town are closing on the appointment of Gary O’Neil as their new head coach, with the club expecting to confirm Kieran McKenna’s replacement in the coming days.

The East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star report that personal terms with the 43-year-old are close to being agreed. An official approach to BlueCo, owners of Strasbourg, is set to follow, and Ipswich are not expecting any late complications in getting the deal over the line.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had also been under consideration for the Portman Road job, but Ipswich have now moved decisively towards O’Neil, whose coaching reputation has grown through a series of demanding posts.

A manager forged in survival fights

O’Neil’s managerial career has already taken in two Premier League rescue acts.

He first emerged as a top-flight head coach at Bournemouth in the 2022/23 season, guiding the Cherries away from relegation trouble and keeping them in the division. His reward was harsh: he was replaced by Andoni Iraola at the end of the campaign despite that successful survival push.

Wolves then turned to him, and his spell at Molineux brought another test of his ability to steady a side in flux. That chapter ended in December 2024 when he was sacked, though his work there clearly left a mark. It is claimed Wolves held talks about bringing him back in November 2025, only for O’Neil to withdraw from the process.

Strasbourg success puts him back in demand

Six months in France have sharpened his profile again.

At Strasbourg, O’Neil led the team to the semi-finals of the UEFA Conference League and an eighth-place finish in Ligue 1, an eye-catching return that has clearly resonated with Ipswich’s hierarchy as they look to build on McKenna’s work.

The move would require BlueCo’s sign-off, but with Ipswich ready to formalise their interest and confidence high inside the club, attention is already turning to the staff O’Neil plans to bring with him.

He is expected to reunite with Tim Jenkins and Neil Critchley, key members of his backroom team at the Stade de la Meinau. Their arrival would signal continuity of his methods and a clear intent to transplant the structure that underpinned Strasbourg’s surge.

If Ipswich complete the deal as anticipated, Portman Road will be handing the reins to a coach used to walking into pressure and turning it into opportunity.