Phil Parkinson has worked wonders with Wrexham since taking charge in 2021, with two-straight promotions to his name with the club.
This season Phil Parkinson and Wrexham are looking for a third-straight promotion. And with four games left of the season Wrexham are well on track to secure what would be an incredible third-straight promotion.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have invested heavily but sustainably and the Dragons are on a really positive trajectory, albeit after a disappointing 0-0 draw against Wigan Athletic in their last League One outing.
Wrexham fans had plenty to say after the Wigan game with Parkinson not immune to criticism despite this stunning season, with his style of play often called into question when the going isn’t all that good.
In particular, Wrexham’s attackers just looked isolated against Wigan Athletic. Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez were the ones that started up front but Wrexham fans are keen for Paul Mullin to return for the final few fixtures.
Nathan Salt’s verdict on Sam Smith and Phil Parkinson after Wigan Athletic 0-0 Wrexham
Speaking on the RobRyanRed podcast, journalist Nathan Salt was talking about the Wigan game and about how Wrexham’s £2million January signing Smith was just way too isolated in the game, feeding on scraps as the two teams played out a rather drab 0-0 draw.
Salt explained: “I looked at Sam Smith and I felt sorry for him on Saturday at Wigan, because what was he meant to do? Did he even get a half chance? Did he even get the ball in an area where he was able to try and get a shot off? I thought he wasn’t even feeding on scraps, it was the crumbs of the crumbs. He had nothing to work with.”
Salt then criticised Parkinson who said after the game that he thought his side actually played well against Ryan Lowe’s Wigan Athletic. “And I think if you’re Phil Parkinson, to come out after and say, ‘I thought we had decent control and I thought we did well for large spells of the game’, we must have been watching something different,” said Salt.
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The one player Wrexham fans want axed vs Bristol Rovers
Wrexham are back in action against Bristol Rovers on Friday. It’s of course a huge game in the race for 2nd place and Wrexham will no doubt have an eye on 3rd place Wycombe Wanderers who take on Bolton Wanderers.
And ahead of Friday, Wrexham fans have made their feelings about Rodriguez known: they’re desperate for the veteran striker to be dropped and replaced by Mullin, and it could be a change that gets the best out of Smith, who earns £5.6k-a-week according to Salary Sport.
Mullin would put in the yards and provide a lot pf physicality too, unsettling defenders and leading them into mistakes which could give Smith a lot more to work with on Friday.
Kick off is at 3pm on Friday afternoon.