Wrexham AFC: Phil Parkinson needs 29-year-old to add another string to his bow to be Championship mainstay | OneFootball

One small shortcoming could be the reason Wrexham AFC move on from Eoghan O'Connell

There have been some emotional farewells at Wrexham AFC since the conclusion of the season, and more significant decisions are looming as we inch closer to the summer transfer window.

Eight players have already been released by the club, with some of the biggest being Steven Fletcher and Mark Howard, both of whom had substantial impacts in North Wales.

Letting go of those names who had such an impact on the pitch and in the locker room was heartbreaking for fans and the club, yet there’s another potential departure that may cut even deeper.

Eoghan O’Connell’s initial impact at Wrexham

While his signing in January 2023 wasn’t as eye-catching as some of the big attacking names that came before him, Eoghan O’Connell has been a massive addition to this team’s rise up the EFL pyramid.

The Irishman, who began his senior career at Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, has been a mainstay in the starting 11 since joining them when they were in the National League.

He was added to Phil Parkinson’s setup during a difficult time in the winter of 2023 after Jordan Tunnicliffe and Aaron Hayden were lost to injuries.

O’Connell proved quickly that he was more than just a reinforcement and that he could provide this side with the stability needed at the back in the National League.

“It’s a club on the up. It’s an exciting part of the season to come in,” O’Connell told the BBC on January 31 after signing with Wrexham.

“The ambition of the club, with the manager and players here, is obviously promotion, so I’ll throw myself in and see how I can contribute to it.”

O’Connell scored two goals in his 15 National League appearances for the club that year, helping them edge out Notts County for first and an automatic berth in League Two.

The club only lost one match in which he featured in that season, conceding a goal or fewer on 12 occasions.

His defensive positioning was usually spot on, while he was strong in the air and showed his toughness in central defence.

Eoghan O’Connell has been an unsung hero for Wrexham

Before he arrived in North Wales, O’Connell had racked up a decent amount of experience in higher leagues, including seven appearances in the Scottish Premiership, along with spells at Bury, Oldham Athletic, Rochdale and Charlton Athletic, clubs that were either in League One or Two when he arrived.

Since coming to Wrexham, he has proven to be defensively sound, leading the team in blocks (0.6) and clearances (8.2) per 90 minutes in League One this past season, according to FotMob.

He also led them when it comes to accurate long balls (4.7) and accurate passes (38.3) per 90 while contributing two assists. His numbers are outstanding, and he’s a fan favorite for good reason.

Aside from being the joint-leader alongside Lewis Brunt on the team in terms of penalties conceded per FotMob (2), O’Connell, who often wore the captain’s armband when James McClean wasn’t featuring, had few flaws in his game.

One shortcoming that could cause Phil Parkinson to axe O’Connell

While finding faults in O’Connell’s game is truly a case of nitpicking, that’s how Phil Parkinson is as a manager. If you struggle in one area, the Wrexham boss will let you know and could even punish you for it.

A perfect example is when Arthur Okonkwo had a rough outing against Stevenage, where his reflexes and distribution were subpar, to say the least. He was punished by sitting out the next three league fixtures before being reinstated as the starting job full-time.

For as many attributes as O'Connell possesses, he doesn’t contribute as much on the scoresheet as Parkinson may need at that level. Like many on the current squad, he doesn’t have any Championship-level experience, although he had limited time in the Scottish top flight.

He’s strong in the air and is one of the top defenders on the roster right now when it comes to moving the ball out from the back. At the same time, he missed their final three matches of the season, with Dan Scarr taking his place. He was injured in their match against Bristol Rovers but was still available for selection and Parkinson went with Scarr instead.

Parkinson and the club may fancy a defender with more attacking prowess who can come up for set pieces and be dangerous in the penalty area like Max Cleworth was last season. That’s not an aspect that O’Connell excels at.

It wouldn’t be an easy decision to part ways with the Irish defender, as he’s adored by the people of Wrexham, his teammates, and the management team.

Wrexham executive director Humphrey Ker told the Wrexham Insider in April: “I think Eoghan O’Connell is potentially my Player of the Season because I think he’s just been so, so strong in the centre of that back-three.

“I think there’s been a couple of games where he’s had rickets, he’s dropped a clanger or two, those have tended to be the game that we’ve lost. And what that says is that when Eoghan plays well, Wrexham play well, Wrexham win.”

That said, the club cannot afford many slip-ups if it is to compete in the Championship and secure a place in the Premier League next season.

Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, and the board leave most, if not all, of the football decisions to Parkinson, and the Red Dragons boss has been ruthless when it comes to the players he releases.

Fletcher had a stellar campaign, while Luke Young put forth numerous tremendous seasons with this club, but despite their contributions, they’re gone.

If there’s an opportunity to add a defender with strong attacking instincts and who’s responsible at the back, it’s difficult to envision O’Connell’s Wrexham journey continuing to the same level in the Championship.