After being linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest, Godfrey says his decision to join Ipswich was due to an impressive phone conversation he had with the manager prior to his arrival.
The defender did not register a single start for Atalanta and only featured once in Serie A from the bench so was looking for a club where game time was readily available and the tactics suited his playing style.
“The times that I spoke to him I felt the sense of being wanted and I knew that he’d be welcoming,” he said on the impact of McKenna. “That’s a big thing in football to feel wanted, I think it does a lot for your confidence as a player.
“On to tactical things, he showed me what he’d expect from me and how he’d want me to play. I’d watched Ipswich but he showed me clips and the patterns that we worked through and I thought the detail he went into would be another step for me in the right direction in terms of improving me as a player.
“You know his coaching history, he’s coached some great players and I’ve actually spoken to those players previously who speak about him in a really positive way. As soon as I got off that call with him I was speaking to my family and said this is the place to be.
“It was the call with the manager that blew me away really with his detail and everything, after that it was a no-brainer for me.”
On the call, McKenna revealed his plans for the young defender, who says he can use his versatility to help the side wherever needed this season.
“He mentioned that on the call as well which I knew would suit me,” he said. “I’m looking forward to hopefully getting many games in that position and helping the boys. It’s a position that I’ll hopefully do well in.
“The right side of defence, obviously our formation is quite fluid anyway. I think I’m someone who wherever the manager says I’ll play I’ll give 110 per cent to help the boys. In that sense I’ll use my versatility to do that.”