Why Wrexham AFC might have made wrong Conor Coady call involving Charlton | OneFootball

Wrexham AFC may regret loaning Conor Coady.

One of the club’s most exciting summer transfers last year won’t be around to help Wrexham AFC push for another promotion.

Conor Coady joined the Red Dragons with the expectation that the former England international would be the perfect person to shore up the backline. Instead, the former Liverpool Academy product will take on a different challenge, joining Charlton Athletic on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

The Addicks are in a Championship relegation battle at the moment, sitting 19th in the table.

Conor Coady’s time at Wrexham was brief

Coming into their first Championship season since 1981-82, Phil Parkinson knew that he needed to get another makeover on his squad ahead of time. Not only did he require proven firepower at that level, but also someone who had experience and could provide stability to the backline.

When the club announced Conor Coady’s arrival on a two-year contract on their website, few fans or critics took issue with the move. After all, the defenders born in St Helens had a lot of experience and traits that many thought Wrexham needed.

He came with over 150 caps in both the Premier League and the Championship, respectively. In addition to that, he’d been a part of two Championship promotions with Wolves and Leicester City.

His passing range, vocal leadership and defensive positioning were all what people raved about before his arrival in North Wales. His time at Wrexham, though, may have the club’s supporters with a different assessment of him as a player.

While he’s not played a great deal under Phil Parkinson for quite some time, he did little to impress early on. He wasn’t the only problem, but his lack of awareness and struggles at the back were evident early on.

He also didn’t seem to be getting through to the youngsters on the team, as the Red Dragons' penalty area must have felt like a shooting gallery at times for Danny Ward and Arthur Okonkwo.

Wrexham’s backline thrived without Coady

A player who appeared irreplaceable on the field when he arrived at the Racecourse Ground has become exactly that. While he was arguably the club’s biggest summer addition when you consider his international and club experience, Parkinson’s backline has been just fine without him.

The biggest reason is Dom Hyam, who has been a towering figure on the back end. The former Blackburn Rovers captain is exactly what this team was missing at the start of the campaign. He’s not only brought a sense of calm to the backline but been effective in starting attacks and in the air.

His presence has brought stability to the Red Dragons' defence, while his poise has aided in the development of Max Cleworth. Hyam’s play has made it impossible for Parkinson not to select him in the starting 11, leaving no room for Coady, at least on the pitch.

If Coady wanted to play, it wasn’t going to happen at Wrexham, at least not this season. At the same time, he could aid Nathan Jones, whose side have been decimated by injuries and in need of some experience.

This year, especially, Charlton have given up multiple goals in four competitive fixtures, including four or more on two occasions. Given his age and how little he’s played this season, though, who knows how much Coady will feature at Charlton.

Wrexham might have made the wrong call by letting Coady join Charlton

Even though he was unlikely to feature in a Wrexham shirt this season, that doesn’t mean Coady couldn’t have played another role for this team. He’s made a mere six appearances for Parkinson’s side in 2025-26, five in the league.

His play may not have benefitted a team chasing a fourth successive promotion, but his knowledge of the game and experience in these spots may have been invaluable. Unfortunately, we will not know how he might have been utilised down the stretch of this Championship campaign.

While no one is doubting Parkinson or his staff, it wouldn’t hurt to have another set of eyes, like Coady assess situations. One thing Coady has experienced that Parkinson hasn’t is being part of a side promoted to the Premier League, more than once. Coady knows what it takes to reach the top flight, and has plenty of knowledge of Wrexham’s Championship opponents, having played with and against many of them.

It wouldn’t hurt for the staff to hear the analysis of a player like Coady looking ahead to upcoming games, given that he’s been there, done that. He would surely offer a fresh perspective for the Wrexham players and coaches. Connecting with players is vital, and that’s an area Coady may have been able to help.

Coady also seems to have the respect of players and coaches. In November, talkSPORT linked the Euro 2020 runner-up to a move back to Wolves as an assistant to Rob Edwards. Clearly, many value his knowledge and insights, which may have been an asset for the Red Dragons. In the short- and long-term, Wrexham may have missed a golden opportunity to use Coady’s intelligence to their benefit.