Welcome to the Premier League? Wrexham dream is within reach, says coach

6 hours ago 4

Anyone who has seen Welcome to Wrexham will know that coach Phil Parkinson is not known for holding back – particularly with his proverbial French.

But that enthusiasm extends beyond rev-ups littered with F-bombs. Parkinson is backing his Welsh soccer team to reach the Premier League – the top level of English soccer and one of the most prestigious competitions in the world.

Wrexham has rocketed up to the second-tier Championship with a record-breaking three consecutive promotions, and will use a series of friendlies against Melbourne Victory at Marvel Stadium on July 11, Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on July 15 and Wellington Phoenix at Sky Stadium in New Zealand on July 19 to prepare to go even further.

Parkinson’s reputation as a potty-mouth has been solidified on the Emmy award-winning docuseries, which has chronicled the club’s rise through the tiers of English soccer since being bought by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Rob Mac, formerly McElhenney, in 2021.

But in an interview with this masthead ahead of the Hollywood-backed club’s first pre-season tour outside the US, there was none of that famous foul language.

There was, however, confidence that Wrexham can one day make the Premier League fairytale a reality.

Coach Phil Parkinson is on the receiving end of an appreciative kiss from owner Rob Mac after Wrexham secured promotion to the Championship.

“You’ve got to aim high ... and why not?” said the coach.

Parkinson said the club was doing all the necessary behind-the-scenes work and dismissed critics who said the Red Dragons were getting carried away with themselves.

“We’ve totally got great understanding that to get there and to sustain top flight or even championship football, we need to have a strong structure in place at the club, with the academy and everything,” he said. “Gotta aim for that, and hopefully one day we can achieve it.”

Parkinson said the friendlies against Australian and New Zealand teams would be important preparation ahead of the Welsh side’s upcoming historic season, in which it will be back in the second tier of English soccer for the first time in 43 years.

“As much as we’re looking forward to enjoying the Australian and New Zealand experience, and I think that’s really important, the preparation of the games are absolutely key for us,” Parkinson said.

He said he would be looking to harness the excitement around the squad while acknowledging their standing in the league as the only team to have never played top flight soccer.

“It’s a big jump in many respects, but it’s one we’re very excited to go and take on,” Parkinson said.

“The lads came back in the pre-season this week, and you could tell there was an air of excitement amongst them.”

Welcome to Wrexham, of which Australia is the third-biggest audience behind the US and UK, will be filming on the Oceania tour.

Parkinson said he couldn’t have predicted the popularity of the documentary series, and factoring in how the limelight might affect a player was important when bringing them in.

“Obviously, now most of the players you speak to are aware of the documentary and the profile of the club, but I discussed that with them because it’s an important part of the club, and the documentary has told a great story, really, which is very authentic,” Parkinson said.

“But I just say to the lads that, you know, what chance in your lifetime are you going to be in the documentary with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. It’s a kind of unique experience, and all the lads we’ve had here have just embraced that, really, and taken it in their stride.”

Fans will have to wait and see if the Welsh club’s famous owners will also appear on tour to Australia.

Parkinson said it was possible, but he didn’t know what the pair’s work commitments were like and wouldn’t want to speculate on their presence.

Mac has been known to drop in to Wrexham pre-season tours, though this will be the first one outside the United States.

Parkinson said he had enjoyed working with the Hollywood actors, who had been supportive not just financially, but also in enhancing the club culture.

“Sometimes, things don’t always go your way, and when that happens as a squad or as a club, you’ve got to pull together tighter,” Parkinson said. “With us, we’ve created a culture where we’re all in it together, and that’s what’s taken us so far.”

The club’s rapid ascension has necessitated a shifting list – Parkinson said there was potential for one or two new players to be joining in time for the Down Under tour – that has also meant hard decisions have had to be made.

“We’ve moved quickly as a team,” Parkinson said. “There’s always tough decisions to be made along the way.”

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