Championship manager inspired by ‘brave’ Leeds United ‘attacking approach’
The “attacking approach” that helped Leeds United win the Championship in the 2019/20 season is inspiring Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna.
The Whites were promoted to the Premier League as Championship winners with 93 points, scoring 77 goals along the way.
McKenna’s Ipswich currently sit second in the Championship table on 28 points, scoring a league-high 25 goals so far.
“I think football is such a wonderful game because there’s so many ways to win and to be successful,” McKenna told Sky Sports. “Supporters like to come and watch their team be brave, be positive, try and create a lot of chances, score a lot of goals – Tottenham are one example.
“If you look at the top echelons of the English game, if you look at the last winners of the Championship: Burnley, Fulham, Leeds, they’ve all been successful with a really attacking approach, a brave approach and that’s the way I enjoy the game, that’s the way the players want to play and feel like they can show their best football in.”
Stunning start
The Tractor Boys are flying high this season, with their 28 points bettered only by league leaders Leicester City, who have 30.
The Foxes have been in stunning form since their relegation from the Premier League last time out, but Ipswich are certainly giving them a run for their money in these early stages.
Making the latter’s form truly remarkable is the fact they only got promoted from League One last season, with a step up in standards not proving to be a barrier thus far.
Ipswich boss McKenna is doing a superb job in the dugout, with his style of play closely resembling that of Leeds’ not so long ago.
Whites manager Daniel Farke hasn’t quite managed to replicate that historic season just yet, but the club are beginning to show some very positive signs after their stuttering start under the German.
The West Yorkshire outfit currently occupy fifth place in the Championship table, with 19 points from their 11 matches.
In other Leeds United news, a silver lining has emerged as one Whites sensation is wanted by Premier League giants.