Three managers Wrexham should consider as Phil Parkinson faces increasing pressure, including a former Leicester City boss.

Pressure mounting on Phil Parkinson

Wrexham have once again shown their ambition in the transfer market, investing heavily during the summer as they continue their pursuit of Premier League football.

The club brought in several notable players, including Anthony Patterson, Danny Imray, Jacques Ekomie and Callum O’Hare, with significant transfer fees involved in their arrivals. The level of investment demonstrates that owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney remain determined to move the Red Dragons towards the top flight as quickly as possible.

However, Wrexham’s start to the new Championship campaign has not matched those ambitions, and manager Phil Parkinson is now facing increasing pressure.

Parkinson has been in charge at the STōK Cae Ras since the summer of 2021 and has overseen an extraordinary period in the club’s history. Under his management, Wrexham achieved three consecutive promotions between 2022 and 2025, rising from the National League to the Championship.

Last season, their first campaign back in the Championship, Wrexham narrowly missed out on the play-offs on the final day. Expectations were therefore high heading into the current season, with the club making it clear that promotion remains the objective.

Instead, results have been disappointing.

Wrexham have collected only seven points from their opening seven league matches. Their sole Championship victory came away from home against Millwall earlier this month, when Parkinson’s side recorded a convincing 3-0 success.

The situation became considerably more concerning on Friday night.

Record defeat raises serious questions

Wrexham suffered their heaviest defeat of the Parkinson era when they were beaten 6-0 by West Ham United at the London Stadium.

The Premier League side produced a dominant display, with Jarrod Bowen, Joel Piroe, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Taty Castellanos, Mohamadou Kante and Manor Solomon all finding the net.

The result represented a particularly damaging evening for Parkinson, who had never previously suffered such a heavy defeat during his time in charge of Wrexham.

The timing could hardly be worse, either. Wrexham’s next Championship fixture is against Southampton, another club widely expected to challenge for promotion.

The Red Dragons may still have unpleasant memories of their previous meeting with the Saints, having suffered a 5-1 defeat against Southampton earlier this year.

With an extended three-week international break approaching, the pause in competitive action could provide the club’s hierarchy with an opportunity to consider whether a managerial change is necessary.

Reynolds and McElhenney have consistently backed Parkinson throughout his five-year tenure, particularly given the remarkable progress achieved under his leadership. Nevertheless, the current situation represents a different challenge, and his position now appears to be under genuine pressure for the first time.

If Wrexham decide that a change is required, there are several experienced managers who could potentially take over.

Scott Parker

One obvious candidate would be Scott Parker, particularly if Wrexham want to appoint a manager with an outstanding Championship promotion record.

Parker has achieved promotion from the second tier during each of his three Championship seasons as a manager. His first success came with Fulham during the 2019-20 campaign, when he guided the club through the play-offs.

He subsequently led Bournemouth to promotion by finishing second in the 2021-22 season, before repeating the achievement with Burnley in 2024-25.

While promotion was expected at Fulham and Bournemouth, Parker’s work with Burnley arguably stands out as his most impressive achievement.

The Clarets finished the season with an extraordinary 100 points and conceded only 16 goals, demonstrating the defensive strength and consistency of Parker’s team.

That record would make him an attractive option for Wrexham, particularly given the club’s ambition to reach the Premier League.

There is, however, one obvious concern.

Despite his excellent record in the Championship, Parker has struggled whenever he has stepped into the Premier League. The 45-year-old has already experienced relegation from the top division on three occasions.

That record could make Wrexham’s hierarchy question whether Parker is the right person to take them beyond the Championship and establish the club at the highest level.

Sean Dyche

If Wrexham want to minimise disruption following a managerial change, Sean Dyche could be another intriguing option.

Parkinson has achieved remarkable success using a relatively direct style of football, so Dyche could provide continuity in terms of approach.

The 55-year-old established his managerial reputation during almost a decade at Burnley. After beginning his senior coaching career with Watford, Dyche became synonymous with Burnley and guided the club to two promotions into the Premier League.

He also helped the Clarets establish themselves in the top flight and even led them into the Europa League after an impressive seventh-place Premier League finish during the 2017-18 campaign.

Dyche later spent around 18 months at Everton, where he successfully helped the club avoid relegation from the Premier League.

His most recent managerial position came at Nottingham Forest. Dyche won 10 of his 25 matches in charge but was dismissed after less than four months in the job in February.

Although his style may not be considered glamorous, Dyche has repeatedly shown an ability to deliver results while operating within financial limitations.

For a club like Wrexham, whose immediate objective is to compete for promotion, his experience, organisation and ability to work with limited resources could prove valuable.

Steve Cooper

Another possibility would be Steve Cooper, particularly if Wrexham decide they want to move towards a more expansive style of football.

Cooper developed his coaching skills within the Liverpool and England youth systems before entering senior management with Swansea City in 2019.

During his time in Wales, he guided Swansea to consecutive Championship play-off appearances. Although the club failed to secure promotion on either occasion, Cooper demonstrated his ability to compete near the top of the division.

His biggest achievement came at Nottingham Forest in 2021-22.

Cooper inherited Forest when they were bottom of the Championship table, yet he completely transformed their fortunes and ultimately guided them into the Premier League by defeating Huddersfield Town in the play-off final.

He then kept Forest in the top division the following campaign before eventually leaving in December 2023.

His more recent appointments have been less successful.

Cooper had short spells with Leicester City and Brondby, neither of which developed into the kind of sustained success he experienced at Forest.

That could make Wrexham cautious about appointing him. His most significant managerial achievement also came more than three years ago.

Nevertheless, Cooper remains a manager with proven Championship credentials and an ability to improve teams significantly.

The opportunity to return to his native Wales could also appeal to him if Wrexham decide to make a managerial approach.

Who should Wrexham choose?

Wrexham have reached an important crossroads.

Parkinson’s achievements cannot be overlooked. Three consecutive promotions transformed the club’s fortunes, and his contribution to Wrexham’s rise has been enormous.

However, the current Championship campaign has started badly, and the 6-0 defeat to West Ham has intensified the pressure.

If the owners decide that a change is necessary, Parker offers an exceptional Championship promotion record, Dyche provides experience and stylistic continuity, while Cooper could introduce a more progressive approach.

The international break may ultimately provide Wrexham’s owners with the time they need to assess the situation.

For now, Parkinson remains the man responsible for turning things around. But with only seven points from seven matches and Southampton next, the pressure surrounding his position is undoubtedly growing.