Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has praised James McClean’s professionalism after substituting the captain at half-time during Saturday’s 3-0 win over Burton Albion.
The League One clash at the Racecourse Ground was goalless at the interval despite Burton being reduced to 10 men in the opening 10 minutes when Charlie Webster saw red. Parkinson opted to change things for the second half, bringing on Ryan Barnett and Elliot Lee in place of McClean and George Dobson. The tactical tweak paid off as Wrexham scored three unanswered goals to stay in the promotion hunt.
‘Top class’ response from McClean
Although removing a player of McClean’s calibre could have raised eyebrows, Parkinson made clear the decision was purely tactical and praised the veteran winger’s response to the call.
“We brought James off at half-time because I just wanted to bring Barney on. But the way he took that decision was top class and you expect that from someone of his professionalism. It’s important the senior players are great lads and send the right message to the rest of the younger players.”
McClean, a former Republic of Ireland international, has been a key figure in Wrexham’s push for back-to-back promotions, but Parkinson stressed that the squad’s unity and character remain their greatest strength.
“The most important thing since I’ve been here is the strength of the dressing room and it takes you a long way,” he added. “The lads who weren’t involved were right behind the team and that’s what it’s all about.”
The breakthrough came in the 71st minute through Steven Fletcher from the penalty spot. Sam Smith doubled the lead moments later, before Jack Marriott rounded off the scoring to seal a comprehensive victory.
Parkinson was particularly pleased with how his side responded in the second half after a flat first 45 minutes against stubborn opposition.
“We had three games in seven days, similar to them, and we looked a little bit leggy at times,” he said. “There wasn’t that kind of crispness in the first half but we upped our game after the break and I’m delighted with the lads.”
Writer’s view
This was a performance that showed Wrexham’s growing maturity as a side. While they struggled to break Burton down early on, the changes made a big difference. McClean’s attitude after being substituted demonstrates the kind of leadership every squad needs in a promotion race. If Wrexham can maintain this unity and sharpness, they’ll be hard to stop in the run-in.
