Former Wales international Owain Tudur Jones believes Phil Parkinson’s direct style at Wrexham is stifling record signing Nathan Broadhead’s impact in the Championship.
Broadhead has endured a quiet start since arriving from Ipswich Town in a £10m deal, making only one league start and scoring once across eight appearances.
What Happened and Why It Matters
Wrexham’s 1-0 defeat to Stoke City left the forward on the bench again, underlining his current struggle to secure a starting place in Parkinson’s system. The manager’s long-established approach has delivered promotions, but in the Championship it has yet to fully click.
Broadhead, who operates best as a second striker or attacking midfielder, has found it difficult to fit within a setup that prioritises aerial duels, direct play, and physical centre-forwards.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Tudur Jones said that the former Everton man still has time to prove his worth but needs tactical adjustments to thrive.
“Nathan’s had a lot of niggly injuries in his career, but when you come in for that big a fee you must be seen as one of the big dogs,” said Tudur Jones.
“As soon as he’s fit – and he looks sharp – they will try and make him the main man. I think it’s okay to have a style of play and a system that has worked so well for so many years, but I think Phil Parkinson will be looking to tweak.”
The 27-year-old joined the Welsh club amid major summer investment, with Wrexham spending £33m to strengthen for their Championship return. Yet despite a huge outlay and a reputation for attacking flair, the Red Dragons have struggled for rhythm, sitting 18th in the table after 10 matches.
Having combined to score for Wales a week ago, should Nathan Broadhead & Kieffer Moore start for Wrexham against Oxford on Wednesday with fellow summer signing Josh Windass?
In a game #WxmAFC need to register a first home win, it surely makes sense..
— Richard Sutcliffe (@RSooty73) October 20, 2025
Reaction, Impact, and What Comes Next
Broadhead’s talent is not in doubt. His movement between lines, ability to link play, and eye for goal were key reasons Wrexham paid a record fee to secure his services. But with Josh Windass and Kieffer Moore forming a productive front pairing, Parkinson faces a dilemma: persist with a system that has delivered stability or modify it to integrate a player of Broadhead’s technical quality.
So far, Windass and Moore have combined for seven league goals, while Broadhead has largely been restricted to cameos. Wrexham’s challenge is finding a tactical balance that maximises their attacking options without losing the structure that defined their rise through the leagues.
Nathan Broadhead, a local lad who was in Wrexham’s academy until the age of 10, returned this summer as a club-record signing 🐲
His first Wrexham goal sent the Red Dragons to the League Cup fourth round for the first time in 48 years. What a moment 💥pic.twitter.com/8Vd2aNhooe
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) September 24, 2025
Tudur Jones’ comments reflect growing debate around whether Parkinson’s trademark pragmatism has reached its limits at this level. Wrexham’s robust style—reliable in League One—has produced mixed results against more fluid Championship sides. For Broadhead, whose game depends on space, tempo, and quick transitions, that conservatism can be suffocating.
Parkinson has built his reputation on loyalty and consistency, but even he may need to evolve to keep pace with the division’s demands. Adapting the attack to include Broadhead, potentially in a roaming role behind the strikers, could unlock new dimensions to Wrexham’s forward play and help justify the significant investment made in the summer.
The Dragons return to action against Oxford United this week, and while wholesale tactical changes are unlikely, the pressure to integrate their £10m signing more effectively is mounting. If Parkinson can find the right balance, Broadhead could yet become the focal point Wrexham envisaged when he arrived from Ipswich — but time, and the Championship table, will demand quick progress.
