Former Wrexham defender Neil Taylor has told the club’s Hollywood owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds to stay clear of signing big-name “over the hill” players and avoid a “circus”.
Actors McElhenney and Reynolds have transformed Wrexham since buying the club in February 2021, with the Dragons set to end a 15-year absence from the English Football League after winning the National League title.
Wrexham’s promotion has seen them linked with several prominent names, among them former Real Madrid and Wales star Gareth Bale, who McElhenney and Reynolds attempted to lure out of retirement.
Former Wales forward Hal Robson-Kanu and ex-Blackburn and Norway midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen, now 41, have also offered their services to Wrexham since promotion to the fourth tier was won.
“It can’t become a circus. It’s still a football club that needs to be successful because no one will pat you on the back if you don’t do it properly,” said Taylor, the former Swansea, Aston Villa and Wales full-back who began his senior career at Wrexham.
“Leave those players that are over the hill. I’d say to Hal ‘I don’t think you’re getting in over Paul Mullin. You’re retired now and he’s a top-class striker’.
“People think League One and League Two is easy but they’re not. It’s really hard football, harder arguably than when you play higher up with the amount of games, travel and some of the grounds you play at.
“So I’d say to Wrexham, stay clear and go for players who know the league and have been successful in it, players who are hungry to get higher up.”
Taylor, who grew up in north Wales at nearby Ruthin, predicts Wrexham will mount another strong promotion challenge in League Two next season.
Several members of Phil Parkinson’s squad – among them top scorer Mullin, Ollie Palmer, Elliot Lee and skipper Ben Tozer – have extensive experience playing in the EFL.
“Hopefully that success continues and I don’t see any reason why not with the squad they’ve got,” said Taylor.
“They will strengthen this summer but it’s already a ready-made team to do well in League Two. But if you’re a good player in League One or League Two and Wrexham knock on the door, you’re going to go there.
“You’ll look at the brand and the commercial value of it and see how Paul Mullin’s gone from Tranmere to having a book out.
“It shows how good going to Wrexham can be for your career and agents will clamour to get their players at the club.
“But they’ve got to be careful who they get through the door because, in my mind, there’s no bigger pull than Wrexham below the Championship.”
Taylor was 19 when he was part of the Wrexham side relegated from the EFL in 2008 and he admires McElhenney and Reynolds for their impact on the football club and the wider community in general.
He said: “When I started there – and I was carrying the water for the first team at 16 – the Racecourse was full.
“But by the time you’re getting relegated, there were 2,500 in the stadium and you see the decline.
“It was tough for many years, so to see them promoted was emotional because I know many people connected with the club who are still there when I was.”
CF Montreal v Nashville SC: Munthali aiming to get Coyotes back on track
Nashville SC interim head coach Rumbani Munthali aims to get a more recognizable look about the team as he prepares for his second game in charge against CF Montreal.
Gary Smith, who led Nashville for seven years, made a shock exit following their 2-0 win over Toronto FC on May 16, with Munthali stepping up from player development coach to take his place.
Nashville’s first game under him ended in a 1-1 draw with Atalanta United on Saturday, leaving them 11th in the Eastern Conference.
With little time to put his stamp on the team, Munthali believes being able to welcome back injured players will help to get them back on track.
"I think as you see players come back into the team [from injury], you see that we're starting to be a little more recognizable as a team that went on a 10-game undefeated streak last season," Munthali said.
"What I would hope is you get a team that represents what the club is: hard-working, forward-thinking and positive, and I hope that's a team we can put onto the field that will compete from start to finish.
"I think those are the cornerstones of who we are as a club."
Montreal are on a four-game losing streak that started with a 4-1 defeat to Nashville, and head coach Laurent Courtois accepts they need to do more to get back to winning ways.
"Doing my 'job' is not enough. We have to be ready to offer a little 'extra' and help each other out. For the moment, in fits and starts, I have the impression that we are just doing our job.
"Now, we are doing our mea culpa, we are coming back to things that we thought we had figured out."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim
In the absence of top-scorer Matias Coccaro, Ibrahim netted Montreal’s lone goal in their defeat to Toronto last week. Montreal have scored in all four games during their current losing run, with the Nigerian extending that run.
Nashville – Hany Mukhtar
Mukhtar attempted five shots, including scoring Nashville’s lone goal from the penalty spot, against Atlanta United on Saturday, taking him to 404 career shot attempts in regular-season MLS play. No other player has attempted 300 shots since Mukhtar joined the league in 2020.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Montreal’s lone win in eight all-time meetings with Nashville SC came in their last home match against them, a 1-0 win in June 2023. Nashville has won five of the other seven meetings (D2), including a 4-1 victory on May 4.
However, Nashville have won only one of their last 15 MLS away matches (D5 L9 incl. playoffs) dating back to early June 2023. Nashville scored three goals in the lone win in that time (3-0 at Kansas City) but have totaled just five goals in the other 14 matches.
Meanwhile, Montreal have lost four straight matches within a single regular season for the first time since September 2020. They haven’t lost five in a row in a single regular season since a five-match losing run to end the 2017 campaign.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Montreal – 39%
Draw – 27.8%
Nashville – 33.2%
Guardiola: Making history is 'extra motivation' for Man City
Pep Guardiola believes making more history is "extra motivation" for Manchester City as they prepare for the FA Cup final against Manchester United on Saturday.
City became the first side to win the English top-flight in four successive seasons after edging Arsenal to the title on the final day by two points.
On Saturday, they have the chance to win an unprecedented back-to-back league and FA Cup doubles against United if they win the FA Cup.
Guardiola says making history is a benefit for his side, but they should already have all the motivation they need to win at Wembley.
"If history gives us a chance to do something not done before, try it," Guardiola said.
"Maybe [it will be] extra motivation for players. I didn't speak about this specifically to the players. Playing for a win, a trophy, is enough.
"No teams have done four in a row; none have done back-to-back doubles. That is because it is not easy.
"We are going to London to perform well. [It's the] same routine, not forgotten - defending our crown one year until next season.
"We are happy, satisfied. Saturday we will go for it with all we have. I want to be beaten because they were better, not because we weren't who we are."
City finished the Premier League season 31 points better off than their city rivals as United finished in their lowest-ever league position in the competition.
Despite the vast difference between the sides this season, Guardiola backed the Red Devils to bounce back.
"The respect is there," he added. "[You] can't compare, the last Premier League to first Premier League.
"I won't compare United to another period, it's unfair. Our team is here, maybe tomorrow [it is] different. It can be different, nothing is eternal. I'm sure United will work to come up again."
FC Dallas v Real Salt Lake: Estevez looking up ahead of RSL clash
FC Dallas coach Nico Estevez was more satisfied with the performance of his side as he looks ahead to a tough home game against Real Salt Lake.
Dallas head into Saturday’s match sitting 12th in the Western Conference, while RSL top the standings on 28 points.
A 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo in last week’s Texas derby followed on from a 2-1 win over Dallas’ other state rival, Austin FC, so they do at least head into the meeting with the West’s best team in some kind of form.
But Estevez, whose team overcame the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the U.S. Open cup in midweek, knows this is only the start.
Reflecting on the draw with the Dynamo, Estevez said: “We felt like we could win this game. We had one of the best first halves on the road this season. We just had a moment late in the first half after the water break where we dropped our level.
“Overall, the first 30 minutes were the best that we have played on the road combining good defensive work, good possessions and good plays. In the second half, we started a little bit slow but as the second half went on, we did a very good job creating chances and playing in their half, keeping the ball moving from one side to the other. The subs did a really good job coming in and provided the new energy that we needed. We wanted to win tonight, but we feel good about it.
“We need to recover really well, we need to rest. We want to improve every game.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
FC Dallas – Jesus Ferreira
Ferreira will have been disappointed to miss out on the United States’ Copa America squad, and will now be out to prove Gregg Berhalter wrong. He has scored seven goals in 10 career MLS matches against Real Salt Lake, his most against any opponent. No player has scored more goals for either side against the other in the history of the rivalry.
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Arango (six goals, five assists) has contributed to at least one goal in six straight away matches, the longest streak in MLS since the beginning of last season. Arango is the second player since the start of the 2006 season to record 11 goal contributions in a span of six away matches (Carlos Vela – 2019).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
RSL are unbeaten in 10 straight regular-season matches (W7 D3) for the fourth time in club history and the first since 2013-14 (16 straight). No team has had a longer unbeaten run in league play since Cincinnati went 11 straight without a loss in July-September 2022.
Dallas have won three straight home matches in all competitions for the first time since July-August 2022. Dallas had won only two of its previous 10 at home (D6 L2) prior to winning each of its last three at Toyota Stadium.
Dallas have lost only two of 24 all-time home matches against Salt Lake in all competitions (W16 D6). Dallas’ 2-1 home win over RSL last April, however, ended a five-match unbeaten run for RSL at Toyota Stadium (W1 D4).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Dallas – 36.5%
RSL – 35.9%
Draw – 27.6%
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