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Phil Parkinson forced his Wrexham squad to sit through a full replay of their first-half showing against Sheffield United as he sought to tackle issues of "accountability" within the senior group.
The Red Dragons turned in yet another disappointing performance in their 1–0 loss at Bramall Lane on Friday evening, marking their third defeat in the past four games. Wrexham have found it difficult to create chances away from home of late, registering just one shot on target across their last four away league outings.
Parkinson called his side's competitive spirit into question following the latest setback, suggesting his players showed greater grit and determination during their time in the National League. The embattled boss will be hoping for a positive reaction when Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton Wanderers visit the Racecourse Ground this week, as Wrexham look to arrest their recent slide and breathe new life into their campaign.
Wrexham Voice 'Home Truths' at Team Meeting
Parkinson usually shows his players only brief clips from matches during their regular team meetings, but on Monday he opted to screen the full first half of the defeat against Sheffield United.
"There was a meeting that needed to take place," Parkinson told Sports Illustrated.
When asked about the atmosphere in the room, Parkinson continued: "I think there was decent honesty in the room yesterday. We sat down and watched the whole first half. I think it is important we did that and talked about accountability, what we did and what we needed to do.
"Quite often we show parts of a game, but I felt we needed to sit down and watch the whole of it as a group. There were some discussion points, but sometimes the door has got to be closed, and we have got to get some honesty within the group. I felt we did that. It's up to us to respond."
Parkinson will be counting on his experienced players to stand up and be counted when Middlesbrough come to the Racecourse in midweek. Midfielder George Thomason is among those pushing for a starting berth. The 25-year-old was primarily a box-to-box midfielder when he arrived at the club last year, but won his manager's trust by willingly stepping in at left wingback during a spell of injuries.
Thomason came off the bench in the final stages of the Sheffield United defeat and is hopeful the squad can show a strong response following their candid team discussions.
"I think at times in a football dressing room, you've got to have that honesty and openness and say a few home truths," Thomason told Sports Illustrated.
"If you don't, this isn't just the playing staff or the manager; it is about the players as well. Everyone being aligned with where we are currently, what we want to achieve, and how we go about doing that. So the fact that we have had discussions over the last two days or so about what makes us good and how that looks has been positive. We want to start replicating that more on a matchday."