Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has found himself at the centre of controversy, with Coventry City and QPR fans expressing outrage after he was named the EFL Championship Manager of the Month for September.
Ipswich’s Mixed Start to Life Back in the Championship
After a tough Premier League campaign that ended in relegation — finishing 16 points adrift of safety — Ipswich Town were widely tipped to bounce straight back to the top flight. With a squad stacked with talent, including Jaden Philogene, Sammie Szmodics, and Chuba Akpom, many expected McKenna’s men to be promotion frontrunners from the start.
However, the season began in disappointing fashion. Ipswich failed to win any of their opening four matches, surprising fans and pundits alike. Their fortunes turned dramatically soon after, sparked by a 5-0 demolition of Sheffield United, followed by victories against Portsmouth and arch-rivals Norwich City.
That triumph over Norwich was particularly special — Ipswich’s first league win against the Canaries in 16 years. The revival caught the attention of the EFL, which crowned McKenna as Manager of the Month for his efforts in turning things around.
Coventry and QPR Fans Cry Foul
The decision, however, didn’t sit well with supporters of Coventry City and QPR, both of whom believed their managers — Frank Lampard and Julien Stéphan respectively — were more deserving of the accolade.
QPR fans pointed out that their side had matched Ipswich’s points total for the month while sitting higher in the table. One fan wrote:
“Julien Stéphan was robbed. Same points, higher position, better away results — and he turned our season around after a poor start. Joke decision.”
Coventry supporters voiced similar frustration, highlighting their club’s unbeaten run and explosive attacking record. One Sky Blues fan fumed:
“We’re top of the league, top scorers in the country, and three of our players are among the Championship’s top five scorers — not even a nomination! How does that make sense?”
Another added sarcastically:
“Maybe Frank needed to average five goals a game to get noticed.”
Broader Discontent Across the Championship
The criticism wasn’t limited to those two clubs. Fans from elsewhere also questioned how a manager overseeing a “Premier League-level squad sitting mid-table” could win the award.
A Middlesbrough supporter commented:
“Leicester, Bristol City, Boro, and QPR all picked up more points in September. Coventry and Stoke scored more goals with the same number of points. Makes no sense.”
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Lampard Eyeing October’s Honour
While Lampard may have missed out this time, his Coventry side are already staking a strong claim for October’s award. The Sky Blues have opened the month in devastating form, thrashing Millwall 4-0 and Sheffield Wednesday 5-0.
With four more Championship fixtures to come and Coventry’s attack firing on all cylinders, few would bet against Lampard claiming the next Manager of the Month title — perhaps righting what many supporters feel was an injustice in September.