One-on-one with Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson as Red Dragons prepare to take on Chelsea

SANTA CLARA — Phil Parkinson initially didn’t want to take the Wrexham AFC managing job three summers ago.

The England native, a veteran of coaching campaigns across various lower levels of the English football pyramid, initially turned down overtures from the Welsh club after Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s purchase in November 2020.

A lengthy phone call from McElhenney made him reconsider and helped convince him to sign on. Three years later, he’s guided the Red Dragons to back-to-back...