Ipswich Town Appoint Gary O'Neil as Manager for Premier League Return

Ipswich TownTeam·Ipswich Town has confirmed the appointment of Gary O'NeilPlayer·Gary O'Neil as the club's new manager, marking a significant leadership change as they prepare for the upcoming Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League season. O'Neil, who joins from French Ligue 1 side StrasbourgTeam·Strasbourg, has signed a three-year contract at Portman Road, taking over from Kieran McKenna, who departed after guiding the club to automatic promotion.

Ipswich secured their place in the top flight for the 2026/27 season by finishing second in the Championship, culminating in a decisive 3-0 victory over Queens Park RangersTeam·Rangers on May 2, 2026. This achievement saw them accumulate 84 points from 46 games, a testament to a strong second half of the season where they lost only three league matches from January onwards.

Gary O'NeilPlayer·Gary O'Neil brings a reputation for navigating challenging circumstances and achieving strong results. His previous experience includes successfully steering Bournemouth to Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League safety in the 2022/23 season and guiding Wolves to a 14th-place finish in 2023/24. Most recently, he led StrasbourgTeam·Strasbourg to an eighth-place finish in Ligue 1 and a notable run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League.

Upon his appointment, Gary O'NeilPlayer·Gary O'Neil expressed his enthusiasm for the new role.

"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."— Gary O'Neil.

O'Neil is expected to be joined by his key lieutenants, Tim JenkinsCoach·Tim Jenkins and Neil CritchleyCoach·Neil Critchley, from his time at StrasbourgTeam·Strasbourg, as he begins the task of preparing Ipswich for the rigours of the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League. The club is anticipated to face a significant challenge in the top division, with O'Neil's tactical acumen and ability to foster team cohesion expected to be crucial. Ipswich will commence their 2026/27 Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League campaign at home against SunderlandTeam·Sunderland on August 22.