Welcome to the Premier League? Wrexham dream is within reach, says coach
But that enthusiasm extends beyond rev-ups littered with F-bombs. Parkinson is backing his Welsh soccer team to reach the Premier League – the top level of English soccer and one of the most prestigious competitions in the world.
Wrexham has rocketed up to the second-tier Championship with a record-breaking three consecutive promotions, and will use a series of friendlies against Melbourne Victory at Marvel Stadium on July 11, Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on July 15 and Wellington Phoenix at Sky Stadium in New Zealand on July 19 to prepare to go even further.
Parkinson's reputation as a potty-mouth has been solidified on the Emmy award-winning docuseries, which has chronicled the club's rise through the tiers of English soccer since being bought by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia 's Rob Mac, formerly McElhenney, in 2021.
But in an interview with this masthead ahead of the Hollywood-backed club's first pre-season tour outside the US, there was none of that famous foul language.
There was, however, confidence that Wrexham can one day make the Premier League fairytale a reality.
'You've got to aim high ... and why not?' said the coach.
Parkinson said the club was doing all the necessary behind-the-scenes work and dismissed critics who said the Red Dragons were getting carried away with themselves.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
UEFA drop bombshell as Crystal Palace demoted
Premier League side Crystal Palace have been dropped from the Europa League to the third-tier Conference League in a multi-club ownership case. Olympique Lyonnais will now also be allowed to play in the Europa League, UEFA said on Friday, with Nottingham Forest also said to be in line for a spot in the same competition. Palace had qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup last season, while Lyon reached the competition by finishing sixth in Ligue 1. A move to relegate them to France's domestic second-tier Ligue 2 over their poor finances was overturned on Wednesday, a decision UEFA's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) had been waiting for before ruling on the multi-club ownership case. "Consequently, the CFCB First Chamber pursued the assessment of the documentation submitted by Olympique Lyonnais and Crystal Palace and concluded that the clubs breached, as at March 1, 2025, the multi-club ownership criteria," UEFA said in a statement. As both Lyon and Palace had qualified for the Europa League, the French club was allowed to keep their place as they finished higher in their respective league, with Palace finishing 12th in the Premier League. The Eagle Football Group are majority owners of Lyon while their chairman John Textor also owns a controlling stake in Palace. Textor later resigned from Lyon's board of directors with Michele Kang appointed chairwoman and president. Palace said last month New York Jets co-owner Robert Wood "Woody" Johnson had signed a legally binding agreement to buy Eagle Football Holding's stake in the Premier League club, subject to approval from the Premier League. However, Palace had missed the March deadline to comply with the multi-club ownership rules. "Honestly, I am stunned. We did everything possible to separate from the club, as UEFA would ask, with a sale process that began before the deadline, and a sale that will occur well before the draw," Textor told Reuters. "Now we have sold out of a club that I love, to help Palace fans continue this dream year, only to have another off-the-pitch decision lay waste to an historic sporting victory." Lyon had been demoted by the DNCG, French football's financial watchdog, in November due to the poor state of their finances but their relegation to Ligue 2 was overturned by its appeals committee. Palace can still appeal against the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport but if UEFA's decision stands, the rules could allow Nottingham Forest to play in the Europa League if they fulfil the admission criteria. Forest had finished seventh last season and originally qualified for the Conference League while fifth-placed Aston Villa and Palace had qualified for the Europa League. Palace chairman Steve Parish was also shocked by the decision. "We're devastated. It's a bad day for football. It's a terrible injustice," Parish told Sky Sports. "I do believe nobody wants to see this. I don't think UEFA wants to see this. We've been locked out of a European competition on the most ridiculous technicality. Supporters of all clubs should be devastated for us. "Everyone knows we're not part of a multi-club set-up. We're caught up in a rule that wasn't put there for us. This is a ludicrous decision. We will ask the appeal court to listen to our argument."


Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Forever 20: Liverpool retire Diogo Jota's number
Liverpool have retired the No.20 shirt worn by Diogo Jota following his death in a car crash last week. The 28-year-old Jota died along with his brother Andre Silva, also a soccer player, near the northwestern city of Zamora, Spain. On Friday, Liverpool said his number would be retired across all levels of the club, including the women's team and academy. "It was the number he wore with pride and distinction, leading us to countless victories in the process - and Diogo Jota will forever be Liverpool Football Club's number 20," the Premier League club said in a statement. Jota had just completed the most successful season of his career - helping Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English league title and winning the UEFA Nations League with Portugal. In total, he played 182 games for Liverpool and scored 65 goals, while winning the FA Cup and English League Cup along with the Premier League. Liverpool said the club had made the decision after consulting with his family. "As a club, we were all acutely aware of the sentiment of our supporters and we felt exactly the same way," said Michael Edwards, CEO of football for Liverpool's owner Fenway Sports. "I believe this is the first time in Liverpool Football Club's history that such an honour has been bestowed upon an individual. Therefore, we can say this is a unique tribute to a uniquely wonderful person. "By retiring this squad number, we are making it eternal, and therefore never to be forgotten." Players from Liverpool and Portugal joined family and friends for the funeral of Jota and his brother last weekend. Floral tributes were laid outside the club's Anfield stadium as part of an outpouring of grief following his death.


Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
Luis Enrique's PSG chasing first club world cup triumph
Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique says the key to his side's resurgence is a collective team ethic rather than reliance on individual brilliance. The French and European champions are preparing to face Chelsea in Sunday's Club World Cup final buoyed by their historic Champions League triumph a little over a month ago. Now they are on the brink of being crowned club world champions, with Luis Enrique overseeing a significant transformation at PSG since replacing departing stars Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. In their places are a dynamic, youthful squad that embodies his total football philosophy. Speaking at a press conference at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the Spaniard downplayed suggestions he is the team's central figure, instead crediting the players' shared commitment to a common goal. "I'm not a star... I like the work I do. I enjoy my career, especially during difficult times," Luis Enrique said. "When things aren't going well, I feel better. It's nice when everything works out because the best thing about winning is making the people who follow us happy. I've been much better when I've been criticised than when I've been praised." Luis Enrique, who previously guided Barcelona to Champions League glory, hinted this campaign could be among the finest of his managerial career but stressed that success would only be defined after Sunday's final. "Maybe this could be the best season of my coaching career. But there's still a final to win. When we've won it, we'll talk about it," he said. The Spaniard also highlighted the volatile nature of football, citing Manchester City's recent struggles as a cautionary tale. "We've seen Manchester City, for example. They won everything last year and then they lose 10 games and they're crushed. "Pep Guardiola is still the best coach in the world and they're killing him. So I prefer criticism over praise because it makes you feel humble, it's the crude reality." Luis Enrique reiterated his vision for a team-first approach, declaring, "We have to be a team with eleven stars, not just one or two. Not even 11, maybe 13, 15 stars... The real star should be the entire team. That's what our club stands for. We'll lose again soon, for sure. We want stars, but in the service of the team." The man in the middle will be Australia's Alireza Faghani. Faghani, a 47-year-old who was born in Iran, also took charge of Brazil's penalty kicks win over Germany in the 2016 men's Olympic soccer final. He was also in charge of this year's Club World Cup opener between Miami and Al Ahly, Bayern Munich's group-stage game against Boca Juniors and Chelsea's quarter-final victory over Palmeiras. He also refereed at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and currently officiates in Australia's A-League. English outfit Chelsea managed only a fourth-place finish in this year's Premier League, 15 points behind champions Liverpool. But the Blues have since found form under coach Enzo Maresca and the energetic Joao Pedro, who netted twice in the 2-0 semi-final win over Fluminese. Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and defender Marc Cucurella have all combined and found form at the right time. with AP