Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney shares ‘meddling’ fears as he refuses to textual content group boss
Wrexham co-owner Rob Mac has opened up on his hands-off approach at the Racecourse Ground, admitting he actively fights the urge to grill boss Phil Parkinson over tactical tweaks. The Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator is currently sweating on a massive afternoon for the Red Dragons.
Wrexham sit precariously in sixth place on goal difference, needing to better the results of Hull City and Derby County when they take on Middlesbrough this Saturday to secure a historic Championship play-off spot.
Despite the stakes, which could see the club reach the Premier League following three consecutive promotions, Mac (formerly McElhenney) insists he won’t be blowing up Parkinson’s phone with armchair manager advice.
Speaking on the Fearless in Devotion podcast, he revealed that while the temptation to query Parkinson’s decisions is often there, he refuses to cross that line.
Mac said: “One of the things that we said from day one is that when we hire people, we stay away. There were many times where I was really tempted to text Phil or call him to ask why he did something.
“I decided not to do that because even that is meddling in how he’s building what’s going on on the pitch. I don’t want to put that into his head. All he hears from us is, ‘What do you need and how can we best give it to you?’ That’s really it.”
The Hollywood star, who took over the club alongside Ryan Reynolds in 2021, clarified that any footballing chat is strictly educational.
He said: “If we ask him about tactics, he knows it’s just out of interest because we want to learn the game, not because we’re second guessing anything.”
While many Championship owners are notoriously sack-happy, the Wrexham duo raised eyebrows in February by suggesting Parkinson has a “job for life” in North Wales. It’s a sentiment Mac doubled down on, citing the incredible atmosphere within the squad.
He said: “I trust that Phil has done his homework and knows what each player is bringing. From what I’ve heard from everybody, including people like Ben Foster, it’s the best locker room that they’ve ever been in.
“That is down to Phil Parkinson. He has created a culture that he’s fostered over the years and that is the reason why he’ll have the job for as long as he wants it, as far as we’re concerned.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher for today’s pivotal clash. Should Wrexham navigate the play-offs and reach the hallowed land of the Premier League, it would complete one of the most remarkable ascents in British football history.
While the maths is tight, Mac remains the club’s optimist-in-chief and is already looking at the top flight.
He added: “I spoke to the players quite a lot over the last week. I could tell you each and every one of them believes that we can not only win this game this weekend, but that we can win three more after that and find ourselves in a very special place.”
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