Wrexham may be competing in League One, but the attention it receives is unlike anything any third-division team has ever got. Though the association of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as owners is one reason. However, the part for which they garner eyeballs is also because of their global hit docuseries, Welcome to Wrexham. Of course, one can say such attention might affect the team’s on-pitch performance, but Phil Parkinson knows how to maintain that much-needed ‘balance‘.

Be it training, pre-match talk, in-between games, or post-match activity, cameras have always surrounded the Red Dragons to film their every moment. Additionally, the demands of commercial shoots distract some players, potentially hindering their on-field performance. Luckily, that hasn’t been an issue so far at STōK Racecourse and the Wrexham boss hopes to maintain this harmony.

“I think one of the key things we’ve all done well [is] we’ve got the balance right between off-the-pitch and all the extra media attention or the commercial things that lads have to do and make sure the focus is always there when we’re training and when match day comes,” explained Parkinson while speaking to CBS Sports Golazo after the team’s narrow win over Peterborough on Saturday.

It’s not like the English tactician hates the idea of the Welsh club getting such media exposure. Truth be told, not only does Phil want the team to enjoy it, but he also wants them to remain grounded and never forget the values associated with the Red Dragons. “I think that’s absolutely key to enjoy the kind of exposure the individuals get within the group and the club is getting.”

“But make sure we understand that every time we cross that white line, we’re representing a real working-class town. We’ve got to make sure that we run hard every game, we play with a real fire and determination to get the results. You can’t always win, we know that. But as long as we come off the pitch and we’ve represented the area the right way. I’m always happy,” concluded Parkinson.

Work hard but play harder; that’s exactly what we feel Parkinson wants the Wrexham players to embrace as their motto. But even though he has been able to avoid the team getting affected by all the media exposure, has it actually created any sort of challenges?

Phil Parkinson admits Wrexham stars getting media hype is a ‘challenge’

Yes, as much as Phil Parkinson has been okay with global attention on the team, he has simultaneously faced difficulties while dealing with it. During the pre-season tour of America and Canada, the 57-year-old admitted that even though the dressing room is a unique and very private area on match days, he acknowledged that they had allowed cameras inside, giving an unfiltered glimpse into everything, “warts and all.”

“It’s a challenge, but it’s part of the job. Keeping the lads grounded is important because they’ve got an unusual, extraordinary amount of attention for players at the level we’re at,” said Parkinson, hoping that the documentary’s success won’t distract the players or lead them astray, as a crucial year lies ahead.

Then again, we are confident that Parkinson will be able to handle the team getting such media exposure. Either way, we would like to know your thoughts as well.