Former Wolves and Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil named Ipswich manager

Ipswich Town have appointed former Wolves and Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil as their new manager, bringing him in on a three-year deal as the club move quickly to fill the vacancy left by Kieran McKenna.

McKenna stepped down from the Ipswich Town role earlier this month after a hugely successful spell at Portman Road, where he guided the club back into the Premier League and rebuilt them into one of the most upwardly mobile sides in the country.

O’Neil, 43, arrives after leaving Strasbourg, where he had been in charge since January. His departure required a reported fee of around 5m euros (£4.3m) including add-ons, with the French club still having two years left on his contract.

His time in France was short but productive. He guided Strasbourg to an eighth-place finish in Ligue 1 and also took them to the Europa Conference League semi-finals, where they were beaten by Rayo Vallecano in their first ever appearance at that stage of European competition.

Speaking after his appointment, O’Neil said:

“It is an honour to be appointed manager of this great football club.

“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.”

He will be joined in Suffolk by coaches Tim Jenkins and Neil Critchley, both of whom worked with him in France.

The appointment also marks O’Neil’s return to English football after spells with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth, where he built a reputation for pragmatic but organised teams capable of competing in difficult circumstances.

Ipswich had also explored other options, including former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but O’Neil had long been viewed internally as the preferred candidate once McKenna’s exit became increasingly likely.

McKenna, 40, leaves after transforming the club since taking over in 2021. He led Ipswich through three promotions in four seasons, including back-to-back rises that took them from League One into the Premier League.

He was also linked with a move to Fulham following Marco Silva’s departure, but ultimately decided to step away from management for a period to spend more time with his family.

O’Neil’s arrival is seen as the start of a new chapter, with Ipswich expected to back him in the transfer market as they prepare for life back in the top flight. The club’s priority will be survival, with a target of establishing themselves among the division’s bottom half rather than simply making up the numbers.

Ipswich feel better prepared for the Premier League than in their previous spell at this level, thanks in large part to McKenna’s work in reshaping the squad’s identity.

O’Neil, who has now managed three clubs, believes he is ready for another opportunity in the top flight after his previous spells were cut short.

“I have managed three teams, and they have all had a similar style.” Said O’Neil.

“I am willing to adapt, but I have things I am not willing to adapt – things that I am very keen on. I want my team to express themselves on the ball.

“The real focus is to get enough points.

“This club is not looking to just achieve safety; the aim is to grow and achieve more. It has been in Europe before and won in Europe. It is a big, big football club that can do special things.”

Ipswich open their Premier League campaign at home to Sunderland on 22 August, with O’Neil now tasked with steering them through a demanding return to the top flight.