The person Phil Parkinson will choose to command Wrexham in the future has been hinted at.
Wrexham celebrated their promotion with great pride after securing a spot back in League One.
For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Reds will play in the third division, with Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds hoping to advance all the way to the championship.
In Las Vegas, a second consecutive promotion was hailed as “special” by Andy Cannon; nevertheless, it also signified the end of the road for a number of players, notably captain Luke Young and seasoned defender Ben Tozer.
Young appeared in 38 National League games in 2022–2023 and was a key player in Wrexham’s record-breaking promotion push. After that, the midfielder’s playing time was cut in League One, where he only made 12 starts.
Despite this, the 31-year-old continued to be an essential member of the dressing room, leading by example in terms of professionalism with the younger players. After surpassing the 250 appearance threshold, Young will depart from the Racecourse Ground, leaving Phil Parkinson to make a choice.
Phil Parkinson hints at the next Wrexham captain The 56-year-old Parkinson is faced with the difficult task of selecting the team’s next captain, but he has a wealth of experienced players to pick from.
Parkinson relied on utility player James McCean to take Paul Mullin’s armband in Young’s absence from the starting lineup.
Even though they two are strong contenders to wear the armband all the time, he has also mentioned playing underappreciated center back Eoghan O’Connell.
Luke and Ben were both excellent captains for the Reds over the past few years, Parkinson stated in an interview with The Leader.
They go on to their next professional endeavor, and we shall choose the new captain.
It goes without saying that Mulls and James McClean have both worn the armband.
“I think the group has some strong leadership traits, which is crucial in any season.
“We think it’s fantastic that there is a lot of leadership potential because Eoghan O’Connell has led the team before.”
Eoghan O’Connell would make a great Wrexham captain
O’Connell is a pillar of consistency at the heart of Wrexham’s defence and one of several in the squad who have played in League One.
The 28-year-old has turned out in the third tier for Bury, Rochdale, Walsall and Charlton Athletic, racking up 120 appearances for those respective clubs.
During his three-year stint at Rochdale, O’Connell assumed responsibility of captain, marshalling a defence that he helped keep in the league on two occasions; 2018/19 and 2019/20.
In terms of experience at this level, only Cannon and Elliot Lee – of players in the Wrexham squad – have made more appearances than O’Connell.
The Irish titan, lauded as “super” for his impressive defensive displays last term, showcased the numbers to match his talent by recording 1.8 interceptions per game, 1.5 tackles and 6.5 balls recovered.
Not only does he lead by example on the pitch and see the bigger picture, but he was flawless defensively alongside Max Cleworth and Tom O’Connor.
Parkinson’s comments on O’Connell show he’s in his thinking for captain and no one could begrudge the decision to give him the armband if that is who he opts for.
