Wrexham’s hopes as they head into a huge Championship season

Local TV Sport

Wrexham are preparing for life in the Championship by strengthening key areas of their squad while maintaining the experienced core that secured back-to-back-to-back promotions.  Despite financial limitations, the club is focused on smart recruitment, adding youth and pace. With pre-season fixtures in the UK and Australia, Phil Parkinson is testing tactical adaptability ahead of what will be Wrexham’s toughest campaign yet.

Transcript

00:00Now, with Wrexham being in the Championship for the first time in many a season,

00:07obviously with their Hollywood backing,

00:09it's fair to say that many people are wondering just how well they'll actually get on in England's second tier of football.

00:15Obviously, Cardiff City no longer in the Championship, they're in League One,

00:18but Swansea City are indeed in the Championship,

00:21so Wrexham and Swansea flying the flag for Wales in the English Championship.

00:25But, just how well, as I say, will Wrexham do in England's second tier?

00:30Well, obviously they've brought lots of players throughout their journey to get to the Championship,

00:36but let's look now perhaps at the recruitment they'll do this summer,

00:39and also how well they'll do when the season does get underway in August.

00:43So let's go now to our Wales sport correspondent, Charles Hague-Jones.

00:47Charles, what can you tell me so far about the recruitment that Wrexham have done this summer,

00:51and what they're also likely to do for the rest of the summer before the season gets underway,

00:55and if anything will perhaps happen after the season gets underway,

00:58and just how well they will do when the season gets started in mid-August.

01:03Will they be a competitive outfit?

01:05Do you think that this will be perhaps a season for more consolidation for Wrexham

01:10after back-to-back promotions all the way to the Championship,

01:14or do you think actually they'll be a bit perhaps unsure of how they'll do,

01:20and actually will they be fighting for their lives at the bottom,

01:22because the Championship, let's be honest, has a lot of good players in it.

01:26So how do you think they'll get on,

01:28and how do you think Wrexham will fare for the rest of the season to come?

01:31Yeah, obviously a massive story, a massive eyes in terms of the world of sport.

01:40Will we be watching Wrexham in the Championship, how they fare, how they get on,

01:44how they approach it as well.

01:46You know, so many rumours this summer linked with big names,

01:48the likes of Jamie Vardy as well at one time, Johnny Evans as well, of course.

01:52You know, these are top names, these are top experienced names as well.

01:56So, you know, I mean, that sort of points to me that immediately they are continuing

02:00that transfer strategy of investing in, you know, players in the upper 20s,

02:07the lower 30s sort of region with experience who have helped them get this far so far.

02:13You know, he also started when the takeover came in,

02:16and they had these top players in the National League, Paul Mudden,

02:18obviously the poster boy of Wrexham's journey.

02:21He sort of fell away last season a little bit, you know, impossible rumours about

02:27a fallout with the manager, but that was, you know, put aside straight away.

02:32You know, he's a Wrexham legend, you know, Wrexham fans completely idolise Paul Mudden

02:37and what he's done for the club and, you know, how he can be there before it,

02:41how he can be there during it and get them through.

02:44The National League was incredibly tight, obviously went to the final day

02:47in dramatic fashion. League 2 promotion was a bit more smoother.

02:51League 1 promotion, I mean, that was such a journey,

02:56and there were so many stages, even up until the very, very final months and weeks,

03:00where you thought Wrexham may have fell away, and Wrexham obviously were that team to do so.

03:04Wrexham took full advantage. I mean, their home form, unbelievable still,

03:09under Phil Parkinson. It's just something that they're going to rely on heavily

03:12in the Championship and, you know, who knows, in the Premier League one day as well,

03:17which I'm sure eventually they probably will get there.

03:20So, yeah, I mean, firstly, let's look at a few things.

03:24Let's look at the financial firepower versus sustainability.

03:27Now, that's something that a lot of clubs in the Championship just tread water.

03:31They lose money every year just to stay up, just to remain, you know,

03:33the likes of Bristol City, Norwich City, who sort of linger around the mid-table.

03:37It's so tough to break the barrier and go and get top six and push on to the Premier League.

03:44Tactical-wise, can they go through the Championship, continuing that sort of pattern?

03:49Who knows? We've yet to see. It's one of the big questions that surrounds them.

03:54But, you know, bottom line is, under Phil Parkinson, Wrexham has excelled over multiple seasons,

04:01especially at home. I feel that's going to be a real feather in their cap this season.

04:05They're going to be fantastic at home still with that fantastic atmosphere,

04:09the sort of tight stadium. Teams aren't going to want to come there.

04:13Teams who have just been in the Premier League are going to struggle there,

04:16is the way I'm looking at it. I'm sure they'll remain in the Championship.

04:19I'd be very surprised if they are down the bottom, you know, come the end of the season.

04:25And I feel they can have a real good season and a real building season.

04:28Who knows? Can they flirt with the top six?

04:31I think maybe, maybe not yet, but certainly it awaits to be seen.

04:37And, you know, people have written Wrexham off for years now

04:40and they've proven everyone wrong and they'll hope to do so once again.

Category

Transcript

Recommended