Wrexham have had a phenomenal rise since the takeover by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny, earning three consecutive promotions that took them from the National League to the Championship.
But the Red Dragons have struggled to adapt to life in the Championship, and currently sit 16th, with 14 points. With the owners having made clear their ambition to get to the Premier League, Phil Parkinson is under scrutiny.
Wrexham is an attractive job and there will be no shortage of candidates. Here are just five of the names in the frame.
Steven Gerrard
45-year-old Gerrard’s name is being mentioned a lot by the bookies, and with good reason. The former Liverpool and England captain has the high profile that would suit Wrexham as they look to continue building a global fanbase.
Gerrard’s managerial record, however, is patchy. He enjoyed success at Rangers, winning the Scottish Premiership title with them in 2021 and going unbeaten all season, but his move to Aston Villa the following season did not work out.
He was dismissed by the Villans in 2022 after a poor run of results, and headed to Saudi Arabia to manage Al Ettifaq. His time there started off well as he guided Al Ettifaq to a sixth-place finish, but results tailed off and he left the club in January 2025.
Gerrard has stated his desire to manage in the English game again, and his leadership skills both on and off the pitch could be what Wrexham need as they look to push up the league. But Gerrard’s inconsistent record could be the thing that lets him down.
Gary O’Neil
Gary O’Neil is one of the favourites with the bookies. The 42-year-old has built a good reputation in the game. He saved Bournemouth from relegation in 2023, but was dismissed by the Cherries in the summer of that year.
O’Neil joined Wolves a short time later in August 2023.
He took them to 14th in the Premier League that season, and they reached the FA Cup quarter-finals. O’Neil was praised for his achievements with that squad, which had seen several high-profile departures, and new players settling in.
The good times didn’t last though. He was sacked in December 2024 with Wolves 19th in the Premier League and struggling after winning only two games.
O’Neil is regarded as one of the best young coaches in the game and was reportedly considered for the England job.
He would be a good choice for Wrexham and would help them get the best out of their expensively assembled squad, but it remains to be seen if he would be willing to take the step down to the Championship.
Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick is another talented young coach that Wrexham might consider. As an added bonus, he already has Championship experience at Middlesbrough.
The 44-year-old took over at Boro in October 2022 and quickly transformed them from relegation candidates to play-off contenders.
In his first season, Boro finished fourth, but lost the play-off semi final to Coventry City.
A good second season followed, with the club finishing eighth and getting to the semi-finals of the EFL Cup, but Carrick couldn’t keep the momentum going. He was sacked at the end of the 2024-25 season when Boro finished tenth.
A lot of Carrick’s best players were sold during his time at Middlesbrough, which makes his achievements even more impressive. The former Manchester United captain would be a steady hand at the tiller, and his ability to develop and improve players would be attractive to Wrexham’s ownership.
Tony Mowbray
Tony Mowbray is often on these lists because he has a wealth of Championship experience, managing Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers and Coventry City in his long career.
The former West Brom head coach has had three promotions as a manager, including taking West Brom to the Premier League.
He got Sunderland promoted back to the Championship after a few years in the doldrums in League One.
He is also used to managing clubs with demanding owners. He took over from Wayne Rooney at Birmingham City in January 2024 and got off to a good start, winning four of his eight games, but had to resign due to illness.
If Reynolds and McElhenney are looking for someone who could provide stability, then Mowbray would be a good choice. However, at 61, he is at the opposite end of the age spectrum to the coaches mentioned above, and that could count against him.
Steve Cooper
Steve Cooper is the only manager on this list who is in work at time of writing. He is managing Brondby IF in Denmark and was only appointed in September 2025, but he shouldn’t be discounted.
Cooper joined Wrexham as a player in 1998. Although he didn’t make any appearances for them, he took his coaching badges there and coached at the Red Dragons’ academy for several years.
The 45-year-old is another coach with Championship pedigree.
He joined Nottingham Forest in September 2021, when they were bottom of the Championship, and took the Tricky Trees to promotion at the end of that season when they beat Huddersfield Town 1-0 in the play-off final.
Cooper was later dismissed by Forest’s maverick owner, Evangelos Marinakis, in 2023, but he remains a hero in Nottingham for his achievements.
He would be a good fit for Wrexham. His teams play expansive, attractive football, and his connection to the club means that he understands it. He is also used to dealing with big name owners.
It would be an unlikely appointment, but you never know in football.
What do you think? Should Wrexham stick or twist? Let us know in the comments below.
