One Wrexham star struggled in the pre-season opener vs Melbourne Victory, but he could be handed another chance in the upcoming game.
Wrexham’s Australian pre-season tour will see them face off against three A-League sides as Phil Parkinson looks to prepare his squad for the 2025/26 Championship season.
After beginning the tour last week, Wrexham have already faced Melbourne Victory on their travels, with the Red Dragons managing a brilliant 3-0 win at the Marvel Stadium.
Whilst the first half didn’t quite showcase the best of Parkinson’s side, they sprang into action in the second half, with Ryan Hardie notably making a difference from the Wrexham bench.
Unfortunately, Wrexham fans were critical with Ollie Palmer’s performance, and he will have plenty more to prove in the next clash against Sydney FC.
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Ollie Palmer must prove himself in upcoming Wrexham clash vs Sydney FC
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson opted to start Ollie Palmer in the first half of the win against Melbourne Victory last week, but unfortunately, the Red Dragons striker struggled to put his foot down on the game.
Understandably, Wrexham’s forward may not have been at the races with it being the pre-season opener after a summer off, but nonetheless, the striker will need to get up to speed quickly due to the options that Parkinson has at striker.
Following the conclusion of the 2024/25 Championship season, Palmer admitted that he regularly sees his name linked with moves away from the Racecourse Ground, but that doesn’t stop him from giving his all at the club.
Palmer said, via BBC Sport: “I’ve got another season [left on his contract]. I’ve actually had that [rumours of leaving] since I arrived in January 2021, three-and-a-half years ago. Every window since I’ve been at the club, people think I’m going to leave.
“There’s always those rumours there, but I’m going to come back, fight for my shirt, get fit, get ready and go again with the football club.”
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Ollie Palmer must keep his promise
In the interview at the back-end of the promotion-winning League One season, Palmer insisted that he was ready to ‘fight’ for his shirt, something that he must do from the off.
The odds are stacked against Palmer to become a regular starter for Wrexham this season due to the starpower they have in the ranks, on top of the likelihood that Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac easily could provide Phil Parkinson with another forward before the summer window slams shut.
There needs to be clear signs from Palmer that he can perform at Championship level, and that must be proven in the remaining pre-season fixtures.
Hopefully, Palmer can show his worth in the upcoming clash with Sydney FC due to the uncertainty that Ryan Hardie will feature after he was brought off in the win against Melbourne Victory.