Phil Parkinson suffered in his previous Championship season, something that he will be hoping to significantly improve on this season with Wrexham.
Wrexham have notched three successive promotions under Phil Parkinson. It is safe to say that owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have lived the dream during their time in North Wales, but their biggest task awaits this season.
The Championship will provide the biggest jump in quality between divisions that Wrexham have had to face yet, which has sparked a need for Reynolds and McElhenney to facilitate Parkinson with recruitment.
Wrexham have signed Ryan Hardie, as well as experienced goalkeeper Danny Ward, but the Red Dragons will not stop with their recruitment.
Significant recruitment is needed this summer, something that Parkinson will be very aware of based on how his previous job in the Championship panned out.
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson struggled in his previous Championship campaign
In hindsight, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will be glad that they brought Phil Parkinson into the fray back in the National League days, based on the fact that the Wrexham boss has experience at this level.
However, Wrexham fans won’t be filled with confidence knowing that Parkinson’s previous spell in the Championship ended with relegation at Bolton Wanderers.
Parkinson’s Wanderers side got off to a top start in the 2018/19 season, with 10 points in the first four, but then went on to win just five games in the remaining 42 fixtures.
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Phil Parkinson will be keen to fix one thing at Wrexham that hampered him at Bolton Wanderers
Moving up to the Championship, Wrexham will soon learn that chances will fall to them far more infrequently unless they recruit heavily with quality in the final third. This was ultimately Phil Parkinson’s main concern ahead of the 2018/19 campaign with Bolton Wanderers.
Parkinson’s options consisted of the likes of Christian Doidge, Josh Magennis, and the ageing Adam Le-Fondre and Clayton Donaldson. Whilst these would have been sufficient options in League One, they were always far from Championship level.
It is clever that Parkinson is taking no chances this season with his forward options – Paul Mullin has already been let go, and the Wrexham boss has replaced him with proven Championship talent in Ryan Hardie.
Parkinson must emphasise the importance to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney of continuing their recruitment drive, otherwise, a repeat of Bolton’s Championship relegation campaign could be on the cards.