Newport County take on Wrexham in the FA Cup this weekend, with Exiles manager Michael Flynn hoping his opposite number baffles himself trying to work out a game plan.
Sam Rickett’s is hunting a place in the Football League with the Dragons, but he’s already ramped up the mind games in the FA Cup by claiming his side are not favourites for the tie.
They have the home advantage, but Newport are the Football League side which makes for an engrossing all-Welsh tie.
Flynn was quick to point out his rival in the dugout was trying to unsettle the Newport side prior to the second round tie.
“That’s Sam playing the game. I think he’s started the mind games already,” Flynn told local media. “He’s a great lad and we get on really well. We’ve had a few texts since the draw. Carl Darlington is there as well, who I get on really well with.”
“I can’t speak highly enough of Sam,” he added. “He’s a very intelligent young manager. He’s had a very good career and I’m full of praise for him. But I’m hoping they’ll confuse themselves with all the analysis. We have a saying on the coaching course that you can suffer from paralysis by analysis and I’m hoping they have a bit of that.”
Both managers have been linked with the vacant job at Shrewsbury Town, with Flynn building his reputation after saving Newport from certain doom in 2016/17, whilst new boss Ricketts has turned fortunes around at the Racecourse Ground since taking over from Dean Keates.
Our View
This is going to be a cracking tie and the truth is, neither side are favourites.
Newport might have the Football League status, but Wrexham are winning games and have home advantage.
It promises to be a great atmosphere inside the stadium this weekend and surely, it’ll give the Dragons a taster of what to expect should they finally get their Football League status back.
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