Bantams boss Graham Alexander on upsetting Wrexham again

The Welsh side have been all-conquering at home with just that one defeat to MK Dons on the opening day of the season in 52 league outings at the Racecourse Ground since November 2021.

But City did get one over Phil Parkinson’s men there in the Carabao Cup on penalties in August and the sides drew at Valley Parade.

Can Alexander and the Bantams upset their hosts tomorrow?

Here’s what the City boss has had to say about the visit to the division’s toughest venue.

How do you convince the players that they can win a game like this?

“The belief has to come from us and what we need to produce in the game. It takes time to instil it into a team and group of players.

“I think sometimes, depending on the environment you go into - and depending on whether they are used to winning or not - you have to believe that whoever we play, we have an opportunity to win.

“My reference point is my career. In 24 years, I never ever went into a game thinking that there wasn’t a chance of winning.

“It’s impossible to think like that. We know the difficulty of all the tasks we face.

“If you look at the record, what’s the point in turning up if you don’t believe you can do something?

“It’s not about taking the previous record, but what they have to show in that particular game and what we have.

“I just want us to have the confidence in ourselves. We know what we do well and where we have to improve; it’s really clear for everyone.

“There’s no point hiding away from that fact. When we get those things right, we are a really good team.

“We showed that in a great spell leading up to Christmas and even after that, even though we did not get the wins, but in our performances which were really strong. We can be that team again.”

What are your thoughts on Wrexham and their home record?

“Wrexham are a fantastic team and have had an unbelievable two and a half years of winning consistently, certainly at their home ground. It takes time to build that up.

“That’s ultimately our aim here, to build up that environment at home and culture where it’s hard for a team to come and take anything from.

“We are not there, we know that and I am not even going to try to attempt to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes.

“But the work has to start somewhere. I have full confidence in my team if we get to a level that we know we can, not hope to do.

“Then, we give ourselves a chance of beating anybody at this level. That’s not taking anything away from Wrexham - it would be ridiculous to with their home form, which is pretty phenomenal.”

You’ve won there with MK Dons – how do you replicate that?

“It was my team that beat them on the day, not me - it was my team. Eleven players that went out there and three or four who came on as subs.

“We went there with a belief we could get a result.

“It was our first game of the season and we had not won any of our pre-season games. There was nothing expected of us and we went there and attacked them as I set up my teams to do on all occasions.

“Is the team I have in my charge now capable of a performance like? 100 per cent - but we have to do a lot of things right.

City won at Wrexham in the Carabao Cup on penalties (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“I didn’t look at Wrexham’s record from the season before when I went into that game on the first day.

“They were unbeaten in the league (at home) last season anyway. So, it didn’t make any difference to me how I planned my team and spoke to my team about taking the game to them.

“It won’t make any difference this time either. That’s not me being flippant or anything.

“It’s how I approach football; to go and try and win and show what we are capable of and what we are as individuals and a group together.

“Sometimes it gets you results, sometimes it’s doesn’t. But as long as you show that unity, belief and commitment to a game, that’s the minimum requirement of a successful team over a period of time and course of a season.

“You can’t go from performance levels up and down, win, lose and draw and expect to be successful at the end of the season.

“The first thing about consistency is mindset and your approach to the game and commitment.

“The levels of performance and quality can sometimes change but certainly your mindset, preparation and how you approach games has to be the same.

“That’s what we’ve been trying to do this week.”

Could a good result at Wrexham be a springboard to restore belief?

“Yes, but the belief is not that dented. Listen, we are frustrated more than anything.

“We are not lacking in belief or a determination. We are just frustrated as we know we have players who are capable of scoring goals.

“We know the opportunities we have created in lots of games; not necessarily in the last one, but certainly in previous games over the new year from the start of January.

“They were games we should have won quite comfortably and we know that, so there’s a frustration there more than anything.

“The only way we can get this frustration out of our system is by going and putting on a performance and winning the game.

“The springboard effect is not what I am really looking for now. I am looking for improvement from our players in our final product, end touch, end bit of quality, without losing the other stuff we have been doing so well.”