A look at the 3 winners and one sore loser as Wrexham Captain James McClean bids bye to the club mid-season.
Though Wrexham and James McClean’s parting ways remain mutual on the surface, it’s a development that carries a sting for both. On one hand, the 36-year-old bids bye to the Dragons with honest regret, Wrexham’s slump on the field shows the falling symbiosis.
Notably, Wrexham’s December dip in form coincided with McClean’s return rumours to Derry City. When it actually went through, Wrexham’s morale looked pale again as they lost to a relegation-battling Norwich.
A couple of days’ break ahead of the next matchday gives Wrexham a breathing space to plan their promotion charge in McClean’s absence.
Sometimes good things fall apart, so better things can fall together, and that’s what the Wrexham crew should look forward to. On that note, let’s take a look at how the club’s future might look with the 3 winners and 1 loser from McClean’s sudden departure.
3 winners from James McClean leaving Wrexham
George Thomason
Wrexham’s quality and a surplus of options in every position have become synonymous for the club’s good. Yet, an excess of squad depth isn’t desirable, and that’s what felt like happening at the LWB role.
With James McClean’s return from his 3-game suspension and Cacace’s injury comeback, Wrexham posed 2 quality options alongside Thomason for the slot. Here’s where McClean’s exit helps Thomason and Cacace, while easing Parky’s selection choice by reducing a contender.
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Given Thomason’s recent performances, it would’ve been unfair for him to return to the bench for a veteran in McClean. Thankfully, he still enjoys Phil Parkinson’s backing as the starting candidate while Cacace returns to full match rhythm on the sidelines.
Dominic Hyam
A noticeable repercussion of McClean’s departure is that it paves the way for a leadership change at Wrexham. Having worn and lived the armband’s responsibility for a year and a half, it’s time for a new heir to the role.
In this way, James McClean’s exit helps Dominic Hyam’s candidature. With the reliable defender having led the team to a 5-game winning streak on the back of a grim phase, Hyam deserved the role.
While this remains to be made official, Hyam is almost certain to become the new Captain. While he gets to keep the captain’s armband throughout the season, Hyam can enjoy the leadership perks until young guns like Max Cleworth catch up.
Nathan Broadhead
In a tactical change inspired by James McClean’s recent development, Phil Parkinson is likely to continue his new, profound 3-4-3 system throughout this season.
Notably, a primary factor that led to Parky switching up his old 3-5-2 with a 3-4-3 was McClean’s absence. With the Captain banned for 3 games, Parkinson compacted and streamlined his tactics with Nathan Broadhead’s inclusion.
Ever since, the former Ipswich star has never looked back, proving to be the gel in Wrexham’s lethal attacking system. Indirectly, McClean’s exit favours Broadhead, who had to be compromised in the old 3-5-2 plan that was designed to benefit extensive full-backs like McClean himself.
1 Loser from James McClean leaving Wrexham
Phil Parkinson
While listing down the entirety of the Wrexham family ought to make sense, the sore loser from McClean’s Derry move is boss Parkinson.
That’s because the gaffer has lost an important dressing room leader, alongside soon-to-leave Paul Mullin and Elliot Lee. Though Wrexham’s burn-and-churn player policy has gotten Parky used to witnessing ageing heroes leave, missing a leader like McClean midway through the promotion task comes as a major blow.
The best time for James McClean’s exit would have been for him to see out his club contract until June 2026. Then, whether Wrexham would be planning for a Premier League season or a Championship campaign, the club could have grown from his departure in a better way.
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