Wrexham are in Championship play-off contention, sitting sixth ahead of Saturday's fixtures, according to multiple reports. The club's remarkable rise under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney continues as they prepare to host Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round. The tie kicks off at 5.45pm on Saturday and will be broadcast on BBC One and TNT Sports.
Coventry City have won the Championship title and secured Premier League promotion for the first time in 25 years, according to multiple reports. Coventry chairman Doug King addressed speculation linking manager Frank Lampard to Chelsea, saying Lampard is happy at Coventry. "Everybody is going to get linked with everything, it's a merry-go-round," King said in an official statement. "It's a bit disappointing clubs are appointing three or four managers a season. You can see how emotionally connected [Lampard] is with the city, you can see what it meant to him to get promotion and then the title and I think he's found a happy place at the moment. It doesn't mean there's not going to be some staggering bid for him in the summer and he'll have to make his choices, because he's shown his credentials as a high-quality head coach, but I'm not going to comment on that, I can't control it. I just think he's happy, I'm happy, everybody's."
It's a brilliant story that I think we've all followed to some degree. I played against Wrexham many, many years ago when I was on loan at Swansea and I think I gave a penalty away. To think where that stadium and team was back then to where it is now... It's obviously got a big following and to see what the owners have done, coming at it from a different angle and coming at it with a lot of passion, everyone's bought into it. I think as a story, it's fantastic and we should promote those stories of clubs. They've come up and they've invested and they've tried to have a go in the Championship this year. I think it's a really positive story in general.
Frank Lampard expressed admiration for Wrexham's progress earlier this season before their 3-2 win over Coventry, according to multiple reports. "It's a brilliant story that I think we've all followed to some degree," Lampard said in a press conference. "I played against Wrexham many, many years ago when I was on loan at Swansea and I think I gave a penalty away. To think where that stadium and team was back then to where it is now... It's obviously got a big following and to see what the owners have done, coming at it from a different angle and coming at it with a lot of passion, everyone's bought into it. I think as a story, it's fantastic and we should promote those stories of clubs. They've come up and they've invested and they've tried to have a go in the Championship this year. I think it's a really positive story in general." Meanwhile, Liam Rosenior was dismissed as Chelsea manager after three months, according to multiple reports.
Liam Rosenior has praised Phil Parkinson's management and Wrexham's rise. "I think Phil [Parkinson] has done an incredible job, the way he's managed the team and the position they're in in the league as well now," Rosenior said in a press conference. "We know it's going to be a really, really difficult game. It's a club that's on the rise, and there's a good energy and a good vibe around. It's hard to play against that. We take the game really seriously. For us, it's an opportunity to win a trophy." Rosenior also said he has watched episodes of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary. "Yeah, I've seen a few [episodes]," he said. "When you see a club grow, develop, improve and come up through the leagues, it's a great story. They've done a great job." On the goalkeeping situation, Rosenior stated he does not consider Robert Sanchez or Filip Jorgensen as his number one goalkeeper. "If you are a player or manager of a club the size of Chelsea and you're worried about the noise from the outside, it's not going to work," he said. "I don't make decisions based on noise. Rob shouldn't be affected by any noise other than what's important, which is our performances."
Yeah, I've seen a few [episodes]. When you see a club grow, develop, improve and come up through the leagues, it's a great story. They've done a great job.
I think Phil [Parkinson] has done an incredible job, the way he's managed the team and the position they're in in the league as well now. We know it's going to be a really, really difficult game. It's a club that's on the rise, and there's a good energy and a good vibe around. It's hard to play against that. We take the game really seriously. For us, it's an opportunity to win a trophy.
I'm alright in this job. I'll leave the acting to the professionals. To be open with the public about how a football club works, people are interested in it. Hopefully – after the game – it continues for them.
If you are a player or manager of a club the size of Chelsea and you're worried about the noise from the outside, it's not going to work. I don't make decisions based on noise. Rob shouldn't be affected by any noise other than what's important, which is our performances.