Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman hails Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson as the Championship equivalent of Premier League manager Daniel Farke.
The 2025/26 Championship campaign began amid speculation about Phil Parkinson’s credibility to lead Wrexham in their quest for the Premier League. Fast forward to now, and the Reds boss has stood tall despite narrowly missing out on their top‑flight goal this time.
In between those eleven months, Parkinson survived the sackings of more than ten Championship managers. Despite being considered one of the most vulnerable in the second tier at the start of the campaign, he had Wrexham in contention for a playoff spot until the final matchday.
The manager’s work in the Championship has touted Wrexham as promotion favourites ahead of next season. While the Premier League remains the ultimate destination, pundit Don Goodman has already made a Premier League comparison for Parkinson.
Recently, Goodman drew parallels between Phil Parkinson and Leeds boss Daniel Farke. Speaking to Parimatch Casino, he said: “I think Phil Parkinson might be the Championship equivalent of Daniel Farke in that regard.”
Don Goodman draws Phil Parkinson parallel to Daniel Farke
Parkinson and Farke have had different trajectories in football management over the years. But despite the differences in their journeys, one thing unites them that they have both been underestimated in terms of their ceilings.
Leeds boss Farke has long been considered a misfit for the Premier League due to his previous relegation with Norwich in the 2019/20 campaign. But what remains understated is that he is the one responsible for reestablishing Leeds in the top flight.
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After taking over in July 2023 following Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League, Farke strengthened the side for a promotion push. He narrowly lost the playoff final in the 2023/24 campaign, then won the Championship title with Leeds last season and is now pushing for a mid‑table finish in the Premier League.
Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman drew a direct parallel between Farke’s situation and that of Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson. Goodman summarised Parkinson’s tale, saying: “Basically, doubting him is the easy thing to do. It is the same as the situation with Daniel Farke in the Premier League.”
Wrexham may have missed a fourth consecutive promotion, but Parkinson had the side in contention until the last matchday. After silencing the critics with his management this season, he could soon catch up with Farke in the Premier League.
Phil Parkinson can repeat a Premier League story like Farke
There’s no denying that the lessons Farke learned from his relegation with Norwich have been vital to his success at Leeds. However, Leeds’ financial backing of the manager has played an important supporting role, too.
Don Goodman pinpointed this aspect, saying: “With all respect, Leeds spent a lot more money than Norwich were able to and already had a more solid base of players to build from. I was optimistic that Leeds could survive and I am really pleased for Daniel Farke.”
Wrexham will want to follow Leeds’ blueprint and support Phil Parkinson as much as possible in their Premier League pursuit.
Last summer, the Reds spent an impressive £33m on their rebuild ahead of the Championship campaign. That was followed by a quieter winter window in terms of spending, but Wrexham are expected to spend big this summer to strengthen their promotion bid for next season.
Wrexham’s 7th‑place finish in the 2025/26 campaign has shown they already possess a solid base of players, much like Farke had at Leeds. If the club backs Parkinson for another big summer, they can drastically enhance their promotion chances for the second time of asking in the 2026/27 season.
If that happens, Parkinson could soon have a real shot at competing against Daniel Farke. Given Wrexham’s rapid ascent through the English tiers, they could realistically aim to better Leeds’ best‑ever Premier League finish of 9th place in the 2020/21 season.
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