Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has shared his thoughts on Wrexham counterpart Phil Parkinson
Liam Rosenior
Liam Rosenior will not take Wrexham for granted(Image: Darren Walsh, Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
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Liam Rosenior has lavished praise on Phil Parkinson ahead of Chelsea's tricky FA Cup tie at Wrexham. Under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, alongside Parkinson's shrewd management, Wrexham have rapidly climbed from non-league to Championship play-off contention.
Within months, they could potentially become Premier League adversaries of Chelsea, a scenario that would have seemed absurd just a few years ago. The remarkable ascent has been documented in the hit Welcome to Wrexham documentary series, which has led the club to attract a global fanbase.
Rosenior has been among the programme's countless viewers and has been struck by the club's progression. He said: "Yeah, I've seen a few [episodes]. When you see a club grow, develop, improve and come up through the leagues, it's a great story. They've done a great job."
On Parkinson, he added: "I think Phil [Parkinson] has done an incredible job, the way he's managed the team and the position they're in in the league as well now.
"We know it's going to be a really, really difficult game. It's a club that's on the rise, and there's a good energy and a good vibe around. It's hard to play against that. We take the game really seriously. For us, it's an opportunity to win a trophy."
Rosenior added that while he would be open to a similar behind-the-scenes show at Chelsea, he is not eager for a starring role. He said: "I'm alright in this job. I'll leave the acting to the professionals.
"To be open with the public about how a football club works, people are interested in it. Hopefully – after the game – it continues for them."
Phil Parkinson, Manager of Wrexham, claps the fans during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Wrexham and Ipswich Town on February 13, 2026 in Wrexham, Wales.
Rosenior has spoken of his respect for Phil Parkinson(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
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Rosenior faces a big decision over his goalkeeper ahead of the tie. Regular first choice Robert Sanchez was dropped in favour of Filip Jorgensen for the midweek win at Aston Villa, with the former Strasbourg boss insisting he does not consider himself to have a number one keeper.
It is not the first time that Sanchez has been left out in the league despite being fit, but Rosenior said he was not worried about the Spaniard's response to being dropped. He said: "If you are a player or manager of a club the size of Chelsea and you're worried about the noise from the outside, it's not going to work.
Robert Sanchez of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on March 01, 2026 in London, England
Robert Sanchez may have to settle for a place on the Chelsea bench again(Image: Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
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"I don't make decisions based on noise. Rob shouldn't be affected by any noise other than what's important, which is our performances."
The fifth round tie kicks off at 5.45pm on Saturday, with live coverage on both BBC One and TNT Sports.
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