Phil Parkinson must separate head and heart and release Wrexham AFC stalwart | OneFootball

Parting ways with George Dobson is what's best for Wrexham AFC in the Championship

It’s taken a complete team effort for Wrexham AFC to get to the Championship, but along with that, many ruthless decisions have been made by their manager.

Beloved figures like Steven Fletcher, Mark Howard and Luke Young were shown the door despite their key contributions to this team’s promotions over the past couple of years, and there could be another tough one on the horizon that will be a deep cut for Parkinson in particular when it comes to George Dobson.

Phil Parkinson’s not afraid to make a tough call

There are many things the Red Dragons have learned about Phil Parkinson during his time in charge. He always speaks his mind, doesn’t shy away from colorful language, has fiery team talks and a reputation for getting the best out of his players.

While he’s a hugely popular figure among the Wrexham faithful, the 57-year-old is not afraid to make decisions that won’t sit well with the majority of supporters. Whether you agree with his decisions or not, he’s stuck to his guns, and it’s worked out for this team.

He changed the Wrexham approach in League One last season from an up-tempo, attacking side, to one that hung back and played what seemed to be at times an exclusive counter-attacking game. It was anything but appealing to watch, but it got the job done.

At the same time, he decided to leave Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer out of the matchday squad from February onwards, an unpopular decision and a head-scratcher for many, given they were among the top contributors in past seasons, particularly "Super Paul". You would’ve thought heading into the League One season, they were the two most likely to produce moments of magic, and you’d think that was exactly the profile they needed given their reliance on transitional moments last season.

We’ll never know if they’d have done better or worse with those two in the lineup, but what we do know is that Parkinson doesn’t shy away from making a decision which could lead to him being sacked should it all go wrong, and it’s worked out for the club thus far. There are likely more tough cuts to make as the Red Dragons prepare to play in the Championship, including one player who’s had a long-lasting personal relationship with.

George Dobson joined Wrexham under unusual circumstances

Wrexham have had some players fall into their lap through some unfortunate circumstances that have benefited them immensely. Steven Fletcher only joined the team after a deal for Luke Armstrong fell through because the club didn’t get everything sorted before the deadline.

George Dobson wasn’t even supposed to be available to them last summer, having signed a pre-contract for Fehervar in Hungary. However, Hungarian news outlet Nemzeti Sport reported the deal was off in early July 2024 because of a change in personal circumstances. That put Dobson back on the market and Phil Parkinson was quick to swoop him up, with the BBC confirming his move to Wrexham on July 6.

"I’m genuinely delighted. It’s the club in the EFL that everyone wants to come to and when I got the opportunity to join it was exciting," Dobson told the BBC after signing.

He went on to say: "When I spoke to the gaffer, and he showed his interest, it felt like an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.

"I can’t wait to meet all the supporters and hopefully carry on the success of the club and have an enjoyable season."

Parkinson knew all about Dobson, who played under him at Sunderland during the 2019-20 League One campaign, featuring 29 times domestically for them over that campaign.

George Dobson’s massive contributions to Wrexham

The former Charlton Athletic captain quickly became a leader in the Wrexham midfield last season, while his ball-winning ability was extraordinary.

It didn’t take him long to ingratiate himself with his teammates and the Red Dragon fans, boasting double-digits for interceptions with over 25 tackles and more than 45 ball recoveries.

After seven League One matches, those numbers were the best among all players in any EFL division.

Dobson ended the 2024-25 campaign second on Wrexham in successful tackles per 90 (1.7), third in blocks-per-90 (0.4) and third in assists (five) according to FotMob. His five assists were the second-most he’d ever produced in a single League One campaign, only two fewer than the 2018-19 third-tier season he had at Walsall.

For a side that had to defend so much in League One last season, Dobson’s contributions were immense as the Red Dragons earned a third successive promotion, conceding the second-fewest goals in the league.

Even as key as he was to this team last season, no one’s job is safe at Wrexham, as we’ve already discovered this summer.

Phil Parkinson must separate head and heart with George Dobson

Releasing players who’ve brought so much to the table is never an easy task, and no one knows that better than Phil Parkinson. Letting go of a player like George Dobson would be a particularly tough one for the Wrexham boss, given his work ethic and the history both individuals have with one another.

That said, Parkinson understands you should make decisions for the club with your head and not your heart and the two must be separated in this situation.

Firstly, Dobson has never played a single minute of Championship football like many other players on this team, though that isn’t the sole reason they should let him go. His profile simply doesn’t fit with what this team needs to be competitive in the second tier. He may work tirelessly and win his share of balls, but that’s of no use if you don’t have the skill to turn those possessions into chances. Dobson doesn’t seem to have the pace and dynamic attacking play to help this team in the Championship.

There are plenty of other strong, young, experienced midfielders on the Wrexham team now that bring more to the table in the attacking third than Dobson, such as Ollie Rathbone, and the latter is just as good at winning balls.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of dynamic Championship midfielders seeking new clubs that would help the North Welsh outfit.

While he’s under contract with the club until 2027, it may not be advantageous for the club to have Dobson in the squad next season.