Kieran McKenna says Marcus Harness’ loan move to Derby County does not mean the end of his Ipswich Town career and says Kayden Jackson joined a ‘big club’ in the Rams.
Derby swooped for Harness on the last day of the transfer window with the attacker hoping to make his bow when they host Cardiff City this weekend.
Harness is reunited with Jackson who made the move on a permanent deal from Portman Road in the summer and has been in excellent form having scored three goals already this season.
Harness is in the last year of his contract, but Town boss McKenna insists that is by no means an indication that the club will sever ties with the winger who helped Ipswich to back-to-back promotions.
“The whole group has such an emotional attachment to each other with what we’ve been through over the last couple of years, so anytime anyone moves on it’s always difficult,” said McKenna as quoted by the Ipswich Star.
“But I think the positive is that when players leave you want them to be leaving in a better position than what they were.
“When people have left here in the last few years that’s been the case. Greg Leigh leaves last summer, a top character, goes to Oxford and gets promotion. Kayden Jackson leaves this summer, an important part of what we did, gets a long contract at a big club in Derby and starts the season well.
“Even the boys who were on loan. Lewis Travis, Jeremy Sarmiento, Kieffer (Moore) – they all had a good experience here, progressed their careers and a couple of those boys have started the season really well. Jeremy’s just got another good loan move (to Burnley). Gassan Ahadme wasn’t here that long, but has gone on to get a good move to Charlton. That’s always something that gives you a good feeling.
“Players always go with our best wishes. And when you go on loan it certainly doesn’t mean that it’s the end of your time at a football club. Sometimes it’s just the right thing for players to go and get minutes.”
