James McClean had very little to do this weekend having been on the bench for Wrexham, but the skipper has spent some time on social media, clearly.
Wrexham were held to a 0-0 draw against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday at the Racecourse Ground, but Phil Parkinson opted to keep Sebastian Revan in the starting lineup, with James McClean an unused substitute on the day.
Not the most eventful game for anyone, least of all the Wrexham captain, then. But, elsewhere in League One, big results occurred that had implications on the top and bottom of the table.
And, one defeat for one manager ultimately cost him his job, but that’s a decision McClean cannot comprehend.
James McClean reacts to Shaun Maloney sacking at Wigan Athletic
After Wigan Athletic lost 2-1 to Reading this weekend, the Latics decided to part ways with manager Shaun Maloney with immediate effect.
Maloney was a former player and fan-favourite for Wigan, where he played alongside McClean. The 42-year-old had been in charge of the club since January 2023, dealing with lots of issues including relegation and financial troubles leading to a points deduction.
But, after a run of just one win in their last eight games left Wigan in 15th place in the table, the club opted to sack Maloney with just 13 games to go this season.
Taking to Instagram to react to the news, McClean was clearly unhappy about the treatment of his former colleague.
McClean was tagged in a comment from another former teammate, Nick Powell, who posted a melting face emoji in relation to the news. McClean then replied: “Insane stuff. Expecting a champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget.”
There’s a lot to be said for Wrexham’s stability under Phil Parkinson
In complete contrast, Phil Parkinson is currently number eight in the list of the longest-serving managers in the Football League.
Granted, it’s easy to see why he’s been at Wrexham so long (44 months, to be exact), given the amount of success Parkinson has had with the Welsh outfit over the years.
| Manager | Team | Date joined | Time in charge |
| Simon Weaver | Harrogate Town | 21 May 2009 | 15 years, 285 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pep Guardiola | Manchester City | 1 July 2016 | 8 years, 244 days |
| Thomas Frank | Brentford | 16 October 2018 | 6 years, 137 days |
| Mikel Arteta | Arsenal | 22 December 2019 | 5 years, 70 days |
| Nigel Clough | Mansfield Town | 6 November 2020 | 4 years, 116 days |
| Andy Woodman | Bromley | 29 March 2021 | 3 years, 338 days |
| Phil Parkinson | Wrexham | 1 July 2021 | 3 years, 244 days |
| Marco Silva | Fulham | 1 July 2021 | 3 years, 244 days |
| Dave Challinor | Stockport County | 2 November 2021 | 3 years, 120 days |
The Wrexham manager — boosted by the backing of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney — has steered the Red Dragons from National League obscurity to pushing for promotion in League One.
Of course, it’s very easy to support a manager who is winning promotion, and a lot more difficult to stick by someone who has struggled to win games all year. But, there’s a lot to be said for the value of stability when it comes to managers.
The problem for Wigan now is, who will they find to replace Maloney at this stage of the season? And, whoever they do bring in, will they have even an ounce of the passion and love for the club that Maloney obviously did?