Newcastle United’s search for Eddie Howe’s successor went further back than many expected, with the club making enquiries about Kieran McKenna before ultimately moving on.
The crucial detail, though, is that Newcastle did not push the conversation any further once it became clear the former Ipswich Town manager was on a career break. That meant McKenna was considered as part of the club’s early succession planning, but he was never turned into a full pursuit.
Why Newcastle looked so early
The timing of the search matters. Research on Howe’s successor stretches back as far as February, which shows Newcastle were already thinking about contingency plans well before the situation reached a breaking point.
That planning became even more relevant because Howe’s exit came after a 12th-place finish, while Newcastle were still competing in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Champions League. In other words, the club was trying to manage both a disappointing league campaign and the demands of multiple competitions at the same time.
By June, Howe told Newcastle chiefs he was ready to lead the charge again this season. But days into pre-season, he changed his mind and informed the board that he wanted to quit. That left Newcastle needing to act quickly on a search that had already been underway in the background.
Why McKenna was not chased
McKenna’s name surfaced because he fit the profile of a manager Newcastle were examining, but the club stopped short of moving aggressively. The reason was simple: he was already on a career break, and that made the pursuit unrealistic at that stage.
So while Newcastle did make enquiries, the situation never developed into a formal bid for the 31-year-old. The report suggests the club wanted to understand its options early, but was also willing to move on when a candidate was unavailable.
That is important because it shows Newcastle’s process was not limited to one obvious name. It was broad enough to include McKenna, but practical enough to avoid wasting time once his status was clear.
Jaissle emerged as the preferred option
Newcastle’s eventual direction pointed elsewhere, with Matthias Jaissle impressing PIF, David Hopkinson and Jamie Reuben during an off-site meeting this week.
That makes the McKenna enquiry more of a sign of how extensive the search was rather than a near-miss appointment. Newcastle clearly wanted to explore multiple profiles before settling on a preferred route.
The broader picture is straightforward: Newcastle were planning ahead, Howe’s departure arrived sooner than expected, and the club responded by narrowing its attention to the candidates it believed were the best fit. McKenna was one of the names checked along the way, but not the one Newcastle ultimately moved toward.
The club’s next decision will now shape how that early planning looks in hindsight. For the moment, the McKenna enquiry is a useful reminder that manager searches often begin long before a vacancy is officially open.
