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While Wales head coach Craig Bellamy is eager to see the full potential of his side’s World Cup campaign, Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna claims he has not had any conversations with Celtic regarding their managerial vacancy.

Following Brendan Rodgers’ resignation on Monday, both have been linked to the manager’s position with the Scottish champions.

McKenna referred to Celtic as “a really big football club,” but he also emphasized that he is “in the middle” of a “long-term project” with Ipswich Town.

The 39-year-old took over Ipswich in 2021 and helped them to acclaim the Premier League with back-to-back promotions, but they only won four games before being relegated back to the Championship, where they currently sit 12th in England’s second tier.

When asked about being on Celtic’s shortlist, the London-born former Northern Ireland youth international said, “I have not had any of those conversations.”

“I haven’t given it any thought or where I’ve spent my time this week.”

Given his boyhood allegiances, it has been suggested that McKenna would be willing to talk to Celtic.

When asked about those, he said, “We all have our affinities growing up.” Although it’s a really big football club, I don’t think everyone needs to run around and say what they’re doing.

In 2024, McKenna was reportedly asked about his reported £5 million release clause after signing a new four-year contract.

He responded, “There are things in every manager’s contract.” I don’t know what mine are, but I wouldn’t tell you anyway if I did!

“I approach this job like I’ll be Ipswich manager forever,” I said. Although I am aware that this may not always be the case, I will always do my best for the duration of my stay.

Bellamy originally signed for Celtic from Newcastle United on loan in 2005, but the former Wales international wants to complete the current World Cup campaign, which would effectively prevent the 46-year-old from taking the position immediately.

Wales is currently in third place in their qualifying group, one place behind Belgium and North Macedonia in second place.

With a successful Nations League campaign, they are almost certain of making those play-offs if they win over Liechtenstein and North Macedonia in November, even if they don’t come out as Group J runners-up.

Up until the end of the season, Juventus have appointed Luciano Spalletti as their manager.

Igor Tudor, who was fired after the Serie A side’s defeat by Lazio on Sunday, is now 66.

Tudor, who had replaced Thiago Motta in March, left after seven months as the result of an eight-game winless run.

Before taking over the Italian national team, which had failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup under Roberto Mancini, Spalletti led Napoli to the Serie A title in 2022-23.

He assisted them in qualifying for Euro 2024, where Switzerland knocked them out in the last 16.

However, Spalletti was fired by Italy in June following their defeat to Norway in a World Cup qualifying match, putting the Azzurri at risk of dropping out of the tournament for a third time in a row.

Spalletti has also led the Italian leagues of Inter Milan, Roma, and the Udinese, and won the Russian Premier League twice with Zenit St. Petersburg.

Juventus finished seventh in Serie A, six points clear of Napoli after nine games, thanks to Massimo Brambilla’s interim leadership of their 3-1 victory over Udinese on Wednesday.

Ireland vs. New Zealand in the Nations Series in the autumn

Soldier Field, Chicago, Saturday, November

Beauden Barrett and Caleb Clarke will miss Saturday’s Test match against Ireland in Chicago, according to New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson.

Barrett, 34, who was injured in the All Blacks’ final rugby championship game against Australia and who has won two titles, returns at fly-half.

Barrett joins his brothers Scott and Jordie, who helped Leinster win the United Rugby Championship last year alongside his brothers Scott and Jordie.

Winger Clarke missed the Wallabies’ victory after making his only previous appearance in the rugby championship against Australia the previous week.

Leicester Fainga’anuku and Damian McKenzie both start on the bench, while Leinster-bound center Rieko Ioane is not available for the matchday squad.

When asked about Ioane, Robertson responded, “He trained really hard and he understands it’s a difficult team to join.”

It’s a difficult decision, so it’s a daily job. You must arrive on time each day.

Robertson and his predecessor Ian Foster oversaw the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final victory in Paris last year while Robertson led New Zealand to a 23-13 victory over Ireland in Dublin last year.

The 51-year-old insists that his country does not “have the edge” over Ireland, which has defeated the southern hemisphere giants four times since winning in Chicago in 2016 and twice on New Zealand soil.

“There are more opportunities. He said there was a referee’s call, a second effort, or a ball bounce that had either direction.

“We anticipate that this weekend will be a really physical match, won on skill-set, effort, or something similar.” You can expect the best from them, and we’ve got to do it on time, like I said before.