WREXHAM have been likened to Jurgen Klopp’s ‘mentality monsters’ at Liverpool as the promotion hopefuls bid for a Welsh double over Newport County AFC.
The Exiles will attempt to throw a spanner in the works of the north Walians’ bid for back-to-back promotions at Rodney Parade this afternoon (kick-off 3pm).
Wrexham head south in second place in League Two, just two points behind leaders Stockport with a game in hand.
They boast a big budget courtesy of Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney but also have team spirt that has helped them dig out results when claiming 52 points from 26 games (W15, D7, L4).
“Wrexham remind me of my own team at Plymouth in 2002 in League Two, where we won this division,” said former centre-back Coughlan, who is a Pilgrims legend and scored 11 goals in that campaign.
“Jurgen Klopp uses the term ‘mentality monsters’ and Wrexham are similar.
“They have got good quality players, they can score from various ways, they are very strong at set pieces, at times they can win when they don’t have to be pretty while they can also be pretty.
“Wrexham have got a lot in their armoury and are a decent team with the variation of their goals, play and players off the bench.
“They remind me of the Plymouth team I played in because that was a really strong team full of strong characters led by a great manager. Wrexham are very similar.”
Former Bradford and Bolton boss Phil Parkinson led today’s visitors to the National League title and has spearheaded an impressive return to the Football League.
Wrexham boast big names and big earners such as Paul Mullin, Elliot Lee, James McClean, Ollie Palmer and Steven Fletcher yet Coughlan is full of praise for the way they have been knitted together.
“They have had a great journey and they are a well-run club with a lot of good players and top management,” said the Irishman.
“It’s okay being well-run and having rich and famous owners but you have got have the proper people in the proper jobs to make the club function.
“Phil and his staff and players are making the club function, so brilliant job all round and well done to them.”
County were beaten 2-0 in a frustrating trip north in December when they failed to make first-half dominance count.
Wrexham struck from a pair of set pieces through James Jones and Lee to deservedly take the spoils on home soil.
“We are going in more confident and in better form than the previous game,” said Coughlan.
“One of my issues this season is that I haven’t been able to affect the game with my bench as I would like. At stages this season we have had three or four substitutions [available].
“Our bench this season hasn’t really had the impact this season that it should do, and that’s purely down to numbers and injuries.
“Hopefully that is behind us and we can have impact off the bench, just like we did at Doncaster last week. That was the first time I can recall this season when the bench has won the game for us.”
Wrexham lead League Two for home points with 35 (P14, W11, D2, L1) but are ranked 11th on their travels with 17 (P12, W4, D5, L3), although they are 7th on points per game.
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