Phil Parkinson has done a marvellous job at Wrexham but a verdict has now emerged around his long-term future at the club.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds made the shrewd appointment of Phil Parkinson in July 2021.
In a bid to escape the clutches of the National League, the Hollywood duo hired a man who had experienced promotion three times with other clubs, guiding Colchester to the Championship in 2006, Bradford to League One in 2013 and Bolton Wanderers to the second tier in 2017.
During his time at Bradford, Parkinson also led the Bantams to a League Cup final in the same year of their promotion, taking the scalps of Premier League giants Aston Villa and Arsenal before being thrashed by Swansea City in the final.
An experienced manager at various levels of the Football League, the 56-year-old translated his success across to Wales, guiding Wrexham to the National League title last term and is now on the brink of leading them to League One.
Phil Parkinson’s long-term future at Wrexham
Despite the big budget he has to work with, the job Parkinson has done at Wrexham shouldn’t be undermined as his side close in on a second consecutive promotion for the first time in their history.
The Reds are currently five points away from mathematically securing third-tier football, although it can happen this weekend if other results go their way.
While moving up to the next division will present new challenges, McElhenney and Reynolds must evolve by shifting their focus towards signing younger players.
They also have to consider the long-term future of Parkinson, as there will come a time when the Wrexham boss is out of his depth and will need replacing.
That is a notion shared by journalist Sam Parkin, who gave his views on how the Welsh side can progress to the next level.
“I’m not for one minute suggesting that they get rid of Phil Parkinson now,” Parkin told the What the EFL?! podcast. “But there will come a time won’t there, and whether that is when they make it to the Championship.
“I think he seems like a really good guy; I’ve got numerous friends who have played with him and played for him and he was absolutely the right appointment for these few seasons, as they tried to rise out of the National League and get into League One and beyond.
“But there will come a time when they try to play a bit more football, I’m sure. That will be the natural progression, so yeah, the squad will need to be improved, a younger average age and we may see that slight adaptation next season.”
Parkinson must adapt in League One
Parkinson has persisted with a 5-3-2 system for most of his time at Wrexham and some supporters have lambasted his refusal to change formation, even when the Reds have struggled.
Those criticisms aimed towards the manager were justified in some matches, as it was clear a tweak was needed tactically, and this must serve as a warning to Parkinson in League One.
Yes, it’s okay to have a plan set in stone when everything is going swimmingly well, but a step up to the third tier may require changes to his formation as the 5-3-2 won’t work in every game.
He must have a plan B in place for when it’s going wrong for his side, otherwise, he’s setting up Wrexham to fail.
Of course, there is no doubt Parkinson has pedigree in League One. He’s led Colchester and Bolton to the Championship previously, and he may do the same with Wrexham, as long as he adapts to the demands of a higher division.