After three successive promotions, from the National League to the Championship, Wrexham’s Hollywood-funded project has seemingly reached its biggest stumbling block yet.
The Red Dragons have struggled at the start of the season, winning just one of their first five league games. They currently occupy 21st place in the league table.
According to reports from the Wrexham Insider’s Graeme Bailey, this has led to the Wrexham board questioning the future of manager Phil Parkinson. But should the 57-year-old actually be relieved of his duties?
Parkinson’s Story At Wrexham
Parkinson’s arrival was a massive coup for the Welsh giants in July 2021.
He had carved out a rather successful career across the EFL, winning an unlikely promotion to the Championship with Colchester United, reaching the EFL Cup final with Bradford City, and spending time at the likes of Sunderland and Bolton Wanderers.
His proverbial stock value may have been slightly low at the time, but he certainly did not need to drop into non-league to regain momentum.
What Parkinson has achieved in the four years since is nothing short of remarkable.
The 57-year-old guided Wrexham to the National League title in the 2022/23 season. The Red Dragons emerged victorious in a thrilling promotion race against Luke Williams’ Notts County, which has done wonders in improving the image of the fifth tier in the eyes of the wider footballing community.
During their first season back in the EFL, the Englishman kept Wrexham’s momentum going as they achieved their second consecutive promotion.
Last campaign, the Red Dragons actually accumulated more points in League One than they did in League Two, allowing them to earn a historic promotion to the Championship.
Some may look at Parkinson’s journey with Wrexham and argue that the manager had everything handed to him on a silver platter. This only rings true to a very limited extent.
It is undoubtedly true that he has enjoyed immense financial backing, regardless of what league the Red Dragons were in. But this money still has to be used wisely.
Fans only have to look at the ambitious project at Salford City, and how that has stalled out in League Two, to see that money is no guarantee of success.
Parkinson has consistently recruited well during his time in North Wales. The likes of Eoghan O’Connell and Elliot Lee were signed in the National League, but played a key part in promotion from the third tier last season.
He has also made some big calls in terms of outgoings, dropping former star man and poster boy Paul Mullin last season to help the club achieve success.
Finally, he has nurtured the raw talent of homegrown youngster Max Cleworth expertly, and the latter is now a regular fixture in the second tier.
Where Have Things Gone Wrong This Season?
Wrexham’s start to the Championship season has undeniably been poor.
Whilst they may sit in 21st place in the points table, the xG table has them in 23rd, showing just how off the pace they have been.
Going forward, Parkinson’s men are still a threat, scoring the seventh-most goals per game in the second tier.
However, they have conceded by far the most xG against of any Championship side.
Perhaps wary of the jump in quality between the second and third tiers, Parkinson signed a staggering five defenders in the summer, in addition to a new goalkeeper.
One of these new signings, Conor Coady, has come under intense fire following his display against Queens Park Rangers, which majorly exposed his physical weaknesses. The 32-year-old has excellent pedigree, but looks like a completely different player from the one who anchored a successful Wolverhampton Wanderers defence and was a key character in Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
Meanwhile, other high-profile signings, like Callum Doyle and Ryan Hardie, are also yet to hit their strides in Wales.
Should Wrexham Part Ways With Parkinson?
The answer to this question depends almost completely on the attitudes of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
If the duo have the ambition, and the money, to bring Premier League football to the STōK Cae Ras as soon as possible, perhaps they should consider dismissing Parkinson. They may have the financial resources to make another Parkinson-esque appointment, securing a manager who more than has the skills to guide Wrexham to the top flight.
However, the more sensible option, for now, is to give Parkinson more time.
There has been a raft of incomings this summer, and it seems as though many of them are not quite up to full speed, likely due to a combination of deficiencies during preseason or simply arriving late in the transfer window.
The Red Dragons’ squad has enough quality to achieve a top-half finish by the end of this campaign, and Parkinson has the backing of many Wrexham fans.
Reynolds and McElhenney should invest their funds in securing more long-term, off-the-pitch progress for the club before reevaluating Parkinson’s position at the end of the campaign.
As the manager is seemingly still on the 12-month rolling contract that he signed in 2021, an amicable exit in the summer of 2026 could be the best way to end Parkinson’s spectacular journey with Wrexham.