‘My Opinion’—Wayne Rooney Gives Verdict on Wrexham Manager Phil Parkinson

The boss has been integral during the rise of the Red Dragons under Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds.

Phil Parkinson guided Wrexham to their best ever finish in 162 years. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Wayne Rooney believes Phil Parkinson deserves huge credit for the job he has done at Wrexham after they finished seventh in the EFL Championship this season.

The Red Dragons competed in the English second tier for the first time in 43 years after achieving an unprecedented three successive promotions all the way up from the National League. Wrexham still played at non-league level as recently as 2023 and only missed out on the Championship playoffs—and a shot at promotion to the Premier League—on the final day of the 2025–26 regular season.

There have been huge changes at the North Wales club during their dramatic rise up the English soccer pyramid, with fan-favorite players moving on at a fast rate to keep pace with the journey through the divisions. Parkinson has remained a constant figure, though, and the mastermind behind their success.

Wrexham will never be able to shake accusations of spending huge money to reach the Championship so quickly, but that only becomes an advantage if the funds are spent wisely on talented players hungry to achieve success.

The 58-year-old manager has continuously rebuilt his squad while keeping the team competitive, and he has adapted his tactical approach to meet the different challenges of every league.

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Wayne Rooney Hails Phil Parkinson

Manchester United legend Rooney knows all about the difficulties of managing a team in the Championship, having endured challenging spells with Derby County, Birmingham City, and Plymouth Argyle in the English second division.

His managerial career has given him a new appreciation for the work that goes on beyond coaching on matchday, including handling politics and personal issues, as well as leading the entire sporting organization.

Parkinson has proved many doubters wrong during Wrexham’s rise and added to his legendary status in North Wales when he guided the club to the best finish in its 162-year history. Although he does not always get the respect he deserves from rivals, Rooney has been blown away by the job Parkinson has done at the Racecourse Ground.

“He’s done incredibly,” Rooney told The Overlap. “I am friends with the Stockport owner [Mark Stott], so I have obviously been watching closely. They were neck and neck [with each other], and Wrexham have kicked on.

“I was delighted they kept him as manager because you can always say, ‘Is there a better manager? Is there someone different?’ But with the promotions and going so close to making the playoffs this year, they can’t look elsewhere, in my opinion.

“To be able to do it and go all the way through the leagues and get really close to the playoffs, it is an incredible job. There are so many more issues these managers have to face than managers in the Premier League. To consistently do it and keep getting promoted—and with the pressure of having Ryan and Rob there and everything that comes with it—is huge. To be able to keep changing the team gradually and continue challenging is an incredible job he has done.”

Wrexham League Finishes Under Parkinson

Season	League	Finish
2021–22	National League	2nd (Lost in playoffs)
2022–23	National League	1st (Promoted as champions)
2023–24	League Two	2nd (Automatic promotion)
2024–25	League One	2nd (Automatic promotion)
2025–26	Championship	7th

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What’s Next for Phil Parkinson?

Parkinson has guided Wrexham to three successive promotions. | Matthew Ashton/AMA/Getty Images

After guiding Wrexham to seventh place in the Championship during their first season back in the division, Parkinson currently appears untouchable in his role as manager. The 58-year-old has enjoyed sustained success with the Welsh club and has proven to be the perfect counterbalance to all the media hype and attention surrounding Wrexham.

Back in September, Wrexham non-executive director Shaun Harvey labeled aspects of the speculation surrounding Parkinson’s future as “an absolute disgrace” following the club’s slow start to the Championship season.

Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds went a step further in February when they claimed the manager had a “job for life” because of his “integral” role in the club’s rise.

McElhenney boldly stated: “I don’t know if I have the words to fully describe how integral Phil has been to the story and success of Wrexham. Ryan and I talk all the time, and I just don’t see a scenario where Phil Parkinson gets fired. It doesn’t make any sense.

“He has been the architect, the creator of this. From our perspective, he’s got the job for life. Unless he finds another job he wants to go off and do, he’s our coach. He’s our manager. He’s our guy. I know that sounds silly and maybe irresponsible to say publicly, but the truth is that’s how we feel. And we have always worn our hearts on our sleeves. We’ve always been as honest as possible.”

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