Gary O'Neil has officially taken the helm as the new manager of Ipswich Town, succeeding Kieran McKenna, who departed the club to spend more time with his family after successfully leading the team back to the Premier League. O'Neil has signed a three-year contract at Portman Road.

In his first statement, O'Neil expressed his excitement about the 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.

O'Neil was a top candidate for the position, alongside former Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior. He previously managed Strasbourg, guiding them to an eighth-place finish in the league, just missing out on European qualification.

In his inaugural press conference, O'Neil highlighted his management philosophy:

I want my teams to have the ball, I want us to express ourselves with the ball. But, it is the Premier League. There are some big hitters in it... the only thing that most people are going to care about is how many points we put on the board.

Looking ahead, O'Neil faces a busy pre-season, with his first match on August 22 against Sunderland. The squad requires strengthening to compete effectively in the top flight, especially after a challenging previous season. Key fixtures include:

• August 22: Sunderland (h)
• August 29: Man Utd (a)
• September 5: Liverpool (h)

As O'Neil embarks on this journey, pragmatism will be essential for Ipswich Town to secure a solid start and build momentum in their Premier League campaign.