What makes Wrexham AFC's Phil Parkinson & Paul Mullin tick? Sam Kotadia on Wrexham's Winning Mindset

Rhys makes a welcome return!

Sam Kotadia might have been the secret weapon for wrexham. He seems like a damn smart man.

Episode four of W2W-3 brilliantly balanced the growth of team and town. Don't forget, this is an Emmy winning show promoting the whole of North Wales, not just the soccer.

Best interview yet. Great insight into the literal inner workings. Loved Sam!

Loved RISKY BUSINESS ep. It is the mission of the team & board to continue the support oin the town. It's a heavy lift. Fascinating to hear abt all the small steps in the works. Already got the chutney place on the map!

Ok, dumb question. Liam looks sad. Is he sad? Or does he just have sad, soulful eyes?

Joey would be the one who could take on Mcclean

I have heard said that in the United States, a hundred years is a long time. And in the UK, a hundred miles is a long distance. Your discussion seems to bear out the second proposition.

Interesting that Sam and Phil Parkinson go back twenty years, and over the course of their relationship so many of the teams that they’ve worked with have had notable long runs in various cup competitions, often defeating teams in the divisions above them. Add in five promotions and Phil and Sam seem to have a knack for helping teams excel over long campaigns. Bodes well for the future.

He said it …. “Over aroused” guess that’s a common team phrase.

It took me 22 hours driving from Toronto to Thunder Bay and was still in the province of Ontario Canada ! But YAH, Crawley Town is very far...

I loved the CEO conversation. I agree it is the international connection. If Wrexham want Championship football in the next couple of years the team needs international support and the revenue that brings.

I’m I missing a trick here, the training ground there’s an obvious choice being ‘Colliers Park’. This was our traditional facility before we had to sell it. I understand that FAW have ploughed a fortune into it but we use it already.. no brainer!
Could we buy back a share or joint ownership ?

49 minutes of Thomas Wynne-Jones picking his nose; ears; prolonged effort on his teeth; stifling yawns and mostly reading his phone. Cost you a coffee each has that. Wouldn’t mind if he asked decent/any questions but he’s just there in name only. Gives a response only when prodded. Why IS he there? WHY does this keep happening?

Take that out and it was an interesting interview. Intrigued as to why there was no mention of Parky’s degree given the context. Also got me thinking about Mullin’s penalties. Little thinking. Turns and mostly smashes. Wonder if there’s really little thinking or whether being able to just turn and go without over-thinking it is exactly why they’re successful? Would be interesting to grab one of our match day analysts at some point.

Still can’t see how McClean got past the “no dickheads” rule.

New CEO discussion based on a fallacy that Shaun Harvey does stuff and so how might that stuff be divided. This is a guy who appeared to have quickly demoted a CEO into a CEO of match day role so she took a lot of crap for things that were ultimately his doing. Totally understand she was difficult and assertive but all the things he’s been left with were part of the role she signed up for and it’s likely not a coincidence that many of them have not progressed.

Had a conversation with a very well known individual a while back when we were away at York. Someone pretty high profile in football over a number of decades. They were happy to talk about the various contacts they’d had at Wrexham from Flynn to Denis etc. Had a very funny Denis Smith story. I asked about our man SH as they had clearly worked in the same circles over a significant period and i was well aware of the poisonous taste left behind at places like Leeds. The answer was telling. “I can cope with incompetence and I can cope with arrogance. The issue is when they’re rolled up in the same person.” Multiple witnesses to the conversation as it was on the 9 bus out to the ground.

If our new CEO has been brought in to progress training facilities and the ground it’s a matter of time before there’s a serious clash. My guess is that SH won’t get away with trying to push MW into Fleur’s CEO of match day role and there will be push back if SH thinks MW is going to just accept tackling US based stuff. One or the other will be gone from the club before the end of 2025.

Great pod lads. Sam was really interesting.

Some of these comments on here and Twitter though, jesus, how about be happy with the top quality content that you get for free from the lads

Great to see Tomi! We are having withdrawals with Men In Blazers on hiatus.

Something really different on the topic and Sam had me riveted. Thanks to all of you.

very interesting chap, Sam - I wonder if he works with other cubs at the same time as he's working with us? I can't imagine this is full time...

Tommi great shout.. The Beast.
He was a monster.. up the town!

I have a Welsh name but I knew nothing about football, until the Wrexham series. Now I'm interested through the human story. Can you tell the difference between a cutter a slider (baseball), or the 5 and the 1 basketball? I'm learning stuff like center mid. I realize that some of the stuff in the series is boring to you, but it's news to me in North America.