Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has warned his players that they will have to continue working hard despite the Hollywood glamour they will enjoy in their pre-season tour in the USA.
The Red Dragon have exhibition matches against Manchester United and Chelsea scheduled ahead of their League Two campaign, and whilst the squad will enjoy the VIP treatment of the USA tour, they will still have to work hard on their season preparations.
Owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have used their status to help Wrexham achieve promotion, and brought the squad to Philadelphia, McElhenney’s hometown, for their own red carpet treatment.
Parkinson has now spoken out about the pre-season schedule, calling for his players to focus on their fitness and tactical work, and to drown out the noise that will come in these exhibition matches to concentrate on their preparations.
“Obviously these games are at a different level in terms of the expected attendances compared to a normal pre-season friendly schedule,” he stated.
“It means that we have been working hard to make certain we go there in the best possible shape. It’s also a huge step for this club to be back in the EFL and that means the hard graft has to continue.
“We are a hard-working group of lads who are representing a working class city and we never lose sight of that. Hunger and desire can always take you a long way.”
How could Wrexham fare in pre-season?
Although the USA tour could be excellent for boosting the club’s profile in the States, it remains to be seen what kind of impact it has in terms of on-pitch preparation.
Playing Premier League opposition could be useful for the players to test themselves against tougher teams, but if Wrexham lose badly in their pre-season matches, it could harm their momentum going into the season.
Wrexham kick off their league campaign on August 5th as they take on MK Dons at home, in their first League Two match since 2008, and Parkinson will be hoping for a strong start once they return from their tour.