Wrexham: International call-ups recognise club's profile, says Phil Parkinson
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Jacob Mendy says receiving his first international call-up is a 'dream come true'
Wrexham will be without Jacob Mendy and James McClean for Saturday's League Two game at Accrington Stanley due to international call-ups.
Mendy was on the bench in Gambia's World Cup qualifying loss to Burundi.
McClean has been picked by the Republic of Ireland for Saturday's Euro 2024 qualifier in the Netherlands.
"It just shows that playing for Wrexham you're getting recognition, irrespective of being in League Two," boss Phil Parkinson said.
"The profile of the club, it's kind of a different level for a normal League Two club because of the reasons that everybody knows."
McClean, 34, announced his intention to retire from international football in October with the friendly against New Zealand on Tuesday, 21 November earmarked as his Republic swansong.
The midfielder was due to join up with Stephen Kenny's squad after this weekend's league game, but injuries to Will Smallbone and Festy Ebosele have led to McClean's call up to face Netherlands.
"Unfortunately for us they've had injuries over the last 24 hours and the manager has asked him to fly out there," Parkinson told BBC Sport Wales.
"James has been a great servant for the Republic of Ireland. He rang me up and he didn't want to let us down.
"But equally it was very difficult for him to turn down the opportunity for a country which is a big part of his life."
Mendy, 26, who joined Wrexham from Boreham Wood in August 2022, has already linked up with Gambia for their opening World Cup qualifiers.
He is still waiting to make his international debut having been an unused substitute in his country's 3-2 defeat by Burundi on Thursday with their next game against Ivory Coast on Monday, 20 November.
"The Gambian manager has been monitoring him, closely," Parkinson said.
"There's other players in his position and he's got competition as you'd expect. But he's done well to get in there.
"Obviously he wants to have some minutes to show what he can do.
"I'd like to see him get some game time and not have a trip where he goes there and is just a squad player.
"Obviously we've got a lot of belief in Jacob and we think he's a really good player."
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