Premier League clubs urged to follow Wrexham model as ex-star makes huge statement

Former Premier League star Ben Foster believes clubs need to clone Wrexham’s model if they want to be ‘thriving again’.

The Welsh side have enjoyed an upward trajectory ever since Hollywood duo Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds officially completed their takeover of the club in February 2021.

A number of shrewd appointments overseen by the pair helped Wrexham end their 15-year exile from the English Football League in 2023 and secure automatic promotion from League Two the following season.

However, none has been as impactful as the man in the dugout at The Racecourse, Phil Parkinson.

Parkinson, a man with a wealth of managerial experience across the EFL, was appointed Wrexham manager in July 2021 as McElhenney and Reynolds looked to get the club out of the National League.

Under the 57-year-old, Wrexham now sit third in League One and just two points behind second-place Wycombe Wanderers, who occupy the second automatic promotion spot.

It goes without saying Parkinson has had significantly larger budgets than what a number of his former National League and League Two rivals operated with thanks to the deep pockets of Reynolds and McElhenney along with the sponsorships they’ve brought in.

As a result, Parkinson was able to bring in players who otherwise would likely have turned their nose up at dropping down several divisions.

One of those was Foster, who came out of retirement in March 2023 to sign a short-term deal with Wrexham.

The 390-game Premier League veteran played a key role in firing the Welsh side back into the EFL, with his most iconic moment being a dramatic stoppage-time penalty save against promotion rivals Notts County to secure a 3-2 victory in April.

However, had Foster not met Parkinson’s requirements for what he wants in a player both on and off the park, he may never have ended up at the club.

It’s a process Foster believes a number of England’s biggest could learn a thing or two from.

3

“They’ve invested solidly in really good, solid players that know that league really well,” Foster told talkSPORT Breakfast.

“The manager Phil has done a really incredible job as well.

“They’re still one of the football clubs that, if you could let a Premier League team, a big team, a proper team, have a manager with that much control, I think you’ll see clubs thriving again. I really do.

“Their (Wrexham) model is fantastic. Phil Parkinson has his say from top to bottom in that football club.

“Every single player that comes in, he finds out, does due diligence, knows if they’ll work well within the group.

“Even if they’re a fantastic player but the other boxes aren’t ticked, he’s not signing them. It’s as simple as that.

3

“If big Premier League clubs could take note and follow suit like that, we’d have some unbelievable teams in this Premier League.”

Unfortunately for Foster, it seems unlikely many of those top Premier League clubs will heed his advice.

That’s because a large number of teams now operate with a data-led approach.

Of course, the manager will have the final say, but with such a minuscule margin for error in the Premier League, recruitment departments look to do as much background work as possible to eliminate those who may not be a good fit and avoid wasting millions.

But if Parkinson can guide Wrexham to a staggering third-straight promotion, perhaps more Premier League sides will be tempted to follow their model after all.