Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney give Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson ‘job for life’ as Hollywood superstars vow never to sack record-breaking Red Dragons manager

Parkinson had to be talked into taking over at the Racecourse Ground, as he dropped down into the National League, but has no regrets at accepting that invitation. The 58-year-old has taken in 257 games at the helm, picking up 150 wins along the way.

Those successes have helped to see Wrexham through three successive promotions - becoming the first side to achieve that feat in the EFL. The Red Dragons are now riding high in the Championship, on the back of elaborate spending sprees, and have their sights set on the top flight.

Parkinson will be given every opportunity to get Wrexham over that line. Co-chairman McElhenney has told The Athletic of retaining unwavering faith in the ability of a man that has never buckled under pressure: “Phil has been the lynchpin of this entire thing.

“For him to take that risk and to come on that journey with us — no, create that journey and the blueprint — has been… critical is not the word… essential is not the word. I don’t know I have the words to fully describe how integral Phil has been to the story and success of Wrexham.

“He said to me very early in our conversations, ‘One thing I know for sure is you will fire me one day’. I said, ‘Really?’. He said every football manager knows at some stage he will get fired. I said, ‘OK, that’s fair, and I get that’s part of the gig’.

“But, 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. Always been as honest as possible.”

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McElhenney added on making Parkinson aware that he has a “job for life” if he wants it: “I don’t think giving Phil that information - which we have told him privately - takes any of the competitive edge out of him. He’s not one to rest on his laurels. Not Phil Parkinson. He won’t kick back and say, ‘Great, I got a job for life, that’s all I care about’. That’s just not how he is wired.

“Again, this is just us. The two of us, the kind of culture we thrive in is one of honesty, integrity, mutual respect and safety. I’m not suggesting how other people should run their organisation.

“Obviously, people run them in all sorts of ways and are mega successful. I just don’t feel that when anyone feels they are on the ‘hot seat’, they do their best work. I just don’t think that’s accurate to human behaviour.

“If someone feels like they are responsible for something important, and that winning and putting their best effort forward is a huge determining factor of their own fate, they will be motivated. But I think that comes from within. I don’t think that can be external.

“I just don’t think warning a coach, ‘If you don’t win in the next three games then you are going to be fired’, I don’t understand the rationale about that. But, again, I guess it works for other people.”

Reynolds shares the same stance as McElhenney. The Deadpool actor added on Parkinson, who continues to work on rolling 12-month contracts: “They say the Welsh are born with the heart of a poet and the fist of a fighter. And that description fits pretty well. Phil brings that spirit into the locker room in a way no one else does.

“You can offer him all the skill in the world, but he will pass instantly if he feels that character is not going to reach the heights he expects to reach. It’s the Venn diagram of football and the entertainment industry. Or any industry. Pick your own. It’s always the same.

“Where they all intersect is culture starts at the top down. If ‘Mr Bigshot Movie Star Guy’ shows up late to set, and is rude and entitled, I promise you in two, three or four weeks it works its way down to the person working on their first movie. Phil has made this all about the locker room. All about those players really feeling a sense of community.”

Wrexham suffered an untimely 2-0 defeat to fellow play-off hopefuls Millwall in their last Championship fixture, but remain sixth in the table. They are, however, only five points clear of Swansea in 15th and have work to do if a shot at life in the Premier League is to be secured.

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