Wrexham succumbed to their first defeat of the tour down under as Phil Parkinson’s side put in a disappointing display.
Wrexham’s 2-1 defeat to Sydney will be a concern to Parkinson, not because of the result but the manner in which his side lost the game.
There was a distinct lack of urgency and quality in their passing and defensively, the Red Dragons were lethargic in allowing the Australian side to strike in each half.
With the Championship campaign on the horizon and a tough trip to St Mary’s Stadium first up, it is time for Wrexham to repeat some past transfer masterplans.
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Phil Parkinson must sign players on tour like he did with James McClean and Ollie Rathbone
A pre-season tour is the perfect chance for new acquisitions to settle into a club. Players have the opportunity to get to know their teammates on a personal level, as well as on the pitch tactically.
So far, Wrexham have signed Ryan Hardie and Danny Ward but there is the feeling that they need to acquire many more if they are to stand a chance in the second tier.
Parkinson is working hard on new signings whilst away in Australia and in the past has secured deals for the likes of James McClean and Ollie Rathbone on their tours of America.
He needs to step up his pursuit of several targets and ideally could bring one or two players over to New Zealand for the final leg of their tour against Wellington Phoenix.
With no other fixtures currently scheduled before the start of the campaign, it could be the last chance that new signings get to bed in before taking on Southampton.
Who are Wrexham close to signing?
Whilst there have been no concrete reports of any deals being close, the Red Dragons have had a bid accepted for Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien.
The club are also chasing defensive reinforcements and Wrexham are interested in John Egan, alongside left wing-backs Owen Beck and Liberato Cacace.
It remains to be seen whether further fixtures are planned before the opener on August 9 but time is running out for Parkinson to get fresh faces involved before the real stuff begins.
Players take time to adapt to new surroundings and ahead of what will be such a difficult season, Wrexham will want to give new acquisitions every bit of time they can to do just that.