The issues that could cost Wrexham promotion and Phil Parkinson his job

The Red Dragons are fourth in League Two and just three points behind leaders Stockport, but some fans are unhappy with recent performances.

Parkinson’s rigid tactics and late substitutions are causing concern among Wrexham fans during their recent winless run.

Despite his impressive win percentage, questions arise if Parkinson can lead Wrexham to back-to-back promotions this season.

Struggling to get the best out of a talented squad, Parkinson faces pressure to improve Wrexham’s away form and overall performance.

When Phil Parkinson recently celebrated his 150th game in charge of Wrexham, he will have reflected on his reign with fondness.

The former Bradford and Sunderland manager ended the club’s run of 15 years in the non-league wilderness in style last season, amassing a record-breaking 111 points to lift the National League title.

However, despite the Red Dragons sitting fourth in the League Two table and just three points behind leaders Stockport, there is currently a sense of unrest among a large section of supporters.

It follows a run which has seen Wrexham win just two of their last nine league matches, with their faltering away form becoming a real cause for concern.

While star striker Paul Mullin got Parkinson out of jail with a late penalty to secure a point against struggling Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday evening, it failed to paper over the cracks of another poor performance on the road.

It might seem harsh to question the future of a manager with a win percentage of more than 60 percent in his two-and-a-half years at Wrexham.

With the club’s ambitious owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney targeting Premier League football, however, there are definitely doubts over what could happen if he fails to achieve back-to-back promotions this season.

One of the main charges levelled at Parkinson is that his tactics are too rigid, as he is often reluctant to change from his favoured 3-5-2 formation, even when his team are losing.

Persisting with a system that didn’t work is also a criticism he faced during his unsuccessful spell at Sunderland.

During the draw at Forest Green, Parkinson did make a switch, moving to four at the back with a diamond shape in midfield, but that was not until just after the hour mark.

The Red Dragons were trailing just three minutes into the game after some loose play in midfield saw Emmanuel Osadebe break free to fire home a clinical finish.

While Wrexham enjoyed around 75 percent of the possession in Gloucestershire, they struggled to translate it into clearcut chances and rarely tested Rovers’ loanee keeper Vicente Reyes.

On a similar note, the manager has been called out on numerous occasions for waiting too long to make substitutions.

Parkinson generally resists making changes until late in the game, much to the frustration of fans, especially when their team are playing catch-up.

On Tuesday, he made his first substitution in the 60th minute to allow a change in formation as Jordan Davies replaced Aaron Hayden.

An unforced substitution followed soon after, as Eoghan O’Connell left the field with a calf injury, adding to Wrexham’s already busy treatment room.

Parkinson played his final hand in the 73rd minute as Ollie Palmer and January signings Jack Marriott and Luke Bolton entered the fray.

However, in truth, his side still looked unlikely to score until a moment of madness from Rovers’ Jamie Robson saw the defender lunge at Mullin inside the penalty area during injury time.

Although the striker has struggled for goals lately, he smashed the resulting spot kick home confidently to rescue a point that was barely deserved.

There is a feeling that Parkinson is struggling to get the best out of his players, despite having a squad depth that most managers in League Two could only dream of.

He has been backed heavily by Wrexham’s Hollywood owners in every transfer window since he joined in July 2021.

During the summer transfer window, his signings included James McClean from Wigan, Millwall midfielder George Evans, loanee goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo from Arsenal and Huddersfield defender Will Boyle.