Arthur Okonkwo on Ryan Reynolds' dap ups, beating Nottingham Forest, and writing Wrexham history: This Week in Wrexham 01/23/25

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0:40Grab yourself a pair today at newbalance.com slash soccer. You're listening to the Men in Blazers media network, suboptimal radio. The dapper from Deadpool, what does that do for you? When your owners give you that sort of positive energy before the game, every player wants to go and perform for their owners. We have a lot of clubs that owners aren't too involved and they always give us as much energy as they can, especially when they're there.

1:09My guest today is one of my favourite characters in Wrexham's unbelievable story that's full of them. He joined the club from Arsenal in September 2023 where Wrexham had just reached League Two and he remains one of the biggest reasons why the club have continued to levitate, locking down and living out two of their three straight promotions as they've climbed into the championship for the first time since 1982. By the way, Diet Coke had not been invented the last time Wrexham played at this level. They are now in the second tier at British football and here to talk about how he's experienced this magical season and all there is to come.

1:48I want to raise my glass of Stoke Ice Cold Coffee to welcome back the Nottingham Forest FA Cup penalty slayer himself. It's Mr. Arthur O 'Connor. Hi, Roger. How are you doing? Thank you very much. Arthur, it is so lovely to be back with you when you're in the championship. It's more than halfway over. Your team's played 28 games, 80 more to go. Currently in ninth place, but just two points out of the playoff places. How is the reality of this season? Your first time playing in the championship, which is a different gravy. How does it compare to your expectations? I said it before this season, it's going to be a difficult switch from League 1 to Championship.

2:32I think it was a slow start, not only for me, but for the whole team. I think we brought in new signings, the team had to adapt and gel together. But I think we've done really well. We've stayed together and we've really pushed on this season. And I think at the moment, just looking for more consistency and keep improving every game. I want to talk more. Well, I want to talk about a lot of things. I really want to talk about the fourth round of the FA Cup. One, the thanks to your penalty heroics, which I know you'll find agonizing to break down because you don't like to talk about great things.

3:08But you went beyond a size wingspan was magnificent. Now we'll talk more about that in a minute. But let's talk about the season, Arthur. I mean, you had the remarkable year in League One, 20 clean sheets in all competitions. when the championship season started you were suddenly battling for playing time summer signing Danny Ward came in from Leicester City how do you approach that situation knowing that you're in a battle for playing time does that change your mindset? Yeah I think definitely I feel like every player wants to play I knew when Danny came in the manager told me that he wanted me to have some competition which I think is really important in a team as well to have that competition because it helps everyone stay focused and continuing to improve and wanting to get better.

4:00But yeah, it was a challenging time for me because obviously I didn't start the season and the manager didn't think I was ready to start off the season, which I was really disappointed about. But I feel like the most important thing was just keeping my head straight, staying focused on what it is I want to achieve at Wrexham. And that's just to keep improving. And when my opportunity comes, just to be ready. And I'm just happy that my opportunity came and I'm playing, which is really nice. You are playing. And it's been, honestly, as I said at the time, I love watching you play at the back for Wrexham.

4:36How have you experienced the difference? Do you experience, what is the most significant difference in this step up to the champions level opponents, which is a bloodbath? There's big differences in each league. I feel like for every different position everyone experiences something different in the levels I think for me as a goalkeeper the biggest challenge is that the teams are just much more ruthless you know you give them an opportunity they're going to score so you know you kind of can't make a mistake you have to stay really focused within games I say you know League 1, League 2 is not easy and there's a lot of similarities between the leagues and I feel like playing in those leagues has helped me to play in the championship today.

5:21So I feel like my previous playing time in the lower leagues has helped me a lot this season. In December, this is a quote of yours, you said it takes a lot of adaptation, getting used to a new league. What aspects of your game have you had to adapt? Have you had to change? The consistency is a massive one. The focus, the staying focused throughout the 90 minutes. I feel like you know in League 1 League 2 you get away with a lot of opportunities compared to the Championship I feel like the work you do over the summer you know training with better players every day you know it speeds you up you know you start to get used to type of finish different type of finishing and you can see the levels in training went up this season so I feel like that helped me all together helped me to get used to the speed of the championship.

6:15As the Wrexham player pool grows and evolves, the training itself is the place where you're sharpened. 100%, yeah, definitely. I feel like when I was left out of the team, I had the opportunity to play some championship teams at the beginning of the season. So I played the whole game and the Preston game, which was a good eye-opener for me because you straightaway pick up how fast the league is. And so, yeah, I feel like those were really important experiences for me. Big thanks to Stoke Cold Brew Coffee for powering this entire series. Stoke, it's a must-have in my refrigerator, especially the espresso blend.

6:55Stoke, also proud supporters of Wrexham AFC, a club who've been dominating the football pyramid while capturing our hearts. Explore Stoke's full line-up of 48-ounce cold brew flavours, from light roast to seasonal favourites in the refrigerated multi-serve format. There's something for everyone. Don't forget to follow Wrexham AFC. And once again, huge, huge love to Stoke. Last time you were on this show and Arthur, you were smart enough to have gone just over a year without having to talk to me. You said that you were focusing on getting better at kicking with your left foot. Yeah. What are you working on in the here and now?

7:32I feel like it's still the same. Still want my left foot to be more perfect. It's really difficult to have your weaker first. Good as your stronger foot. Definitely improved. Still not where I want it to be. But I'm hoping with more practice, I'll get there. But I feel like when you go into a new league, there's other aspects of your game that you learn that you can improve. I feel like for me this season, I've been dealing with crosses. It's something I want to improve on. Again, I feel it's a strength for me in League One. But as the league changes, players are putting better balls in. They're much more difficult to deal with.

8:09So it's another part of my game. I want to really make a super strength. You've now been part of this Wrexham side for three seasons and for two straight promotions. You joined the club on loan from Arsenal. I remember watching your first Wrexham game, which was against Cru Alexander, another team you actually spent time with. And you later admitted that you were nervous during that game, which doesn't normally happen for you. when's the last time you felt nervous before a game I don't think but I think this season I just haven't felt nervous most of the time not nervous but I feel like the first game where I felt a bit of nervous would have been the middle away you know having that atmosphere that they bring you know having to come on for Danny Ward who unfortunately picked up the injury that he did the dislocation the dislocation And yeah, that was one time where I felt a lot of no's.

9:09A lot of people say I didn't look like I was nervous, but I keep most things within me. So yeah, I'd say that's the one game this season. But after that, I've been fine. I do think, Arthur, there's an old English saying, if you're not nervous at Millwall, you're not alive. Yeah, it's very true. I can attest to that. You did feel that, Gary. I mean, you can really feel that atmosphere. Yeah, definitely. But I feel like it's a really good atmosphere. Obviously, some things that are said aren't the nicest, but I feel like they do create that atmosphere that people talk about. And it was my first time experiencing that, which was really good.

9:49It's time to talk about it. Two weeks ago, your Wrexham faced Nottingham Forest, Premier League Nottingham Forest, in an FA Cup third round match at the Stoke Kairas. Before the game, your manager, Phil Parkinson, who I do believe will either be immortalised as a statue outside the stadium, or maybe even will have his face printed on paper currency. He talked the team through some highlights of Wrexham's history in the FA Cup, which included beating Nottingham Forest. There's that historical precedent. What was his message to you and your teammates before kick-off that you remember? I feel like with our manager, it was really good.

10:26Before every cup game, he tells us the history. and I'd say with most games that have some historical value he always lets us know look this isn't a normal game this is a game that means something to the club I feel like that's how he brings the best out of us I think going into the big rival games sort of thing or the games that have the history behind it and yeah I just remember him giving us the dates, the times when we did play these teams and how good it is for the club that we are playing these teams again. I think that was the most important thing. And just letting the players know that this is how far we've come.

11:08We've done so well and let's go do it again sort of thing. And that was the message. That was the main message before the Northern Forest game. When you hear that history, how does it play through to the players' mind in the present day? It definitely inspires you because, you know, we're watching those players do it then. and it's good to know that one day someone will be in my shoes and will be watching what I had done last time that I pick up game was played which is just, it's crazy when you actually think about it but just to know that we're creating history you know, I feel like that can give anyone inspiration to go and perform.

11:48That's genuinely mind-blowing that in this present you have an awareness that there were kids at that stadium who, you know, when they're 40, 50 will be saying to their kids You've got to know, I was there the day Arthur Conquo smited Nottingham Forest. You already have that sense of history, that sense of legacy. It's beautiful, man. Yeah, that's what I've wanted to do at this club, try to create history and need to maybe get a few more things done and I'll be happy. There was another person at that stadium, Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds, also in North Wales for the match. Did he send a message or did he speak to the team before the game?

12:24Yeah, I think a lot of people saw that he stood by the tunnel and personally gave everyone a little dab up before the game, I call it. And to be fair, I went out early before all the boys went out. But he did give me a nice wave, which is always nice to get that from Leona before the game. and like always, he's always, you know, he doesn't need to say anything for you to know how he feels about us and yeah, he was amazing that day. The dapper from Deadpool, what does that do for you? Does it do anything? Are you all just locked in and focused or is there a heightened sense, all right, we're going to go and do it.

13:11You say, we're going to turn it on, we're going to give that next level. When your owners give you that sort of positive energy before the game, I feel like every player wants to go and perform for their owners. You know, you have a lot of clubs that owners aren't too involved. And we have, I think, one of the best owners at most clubs. And they always give us as much energy as they can, especially when they're there.

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14:32You have Wrexham going into the halftime with a 2-0 lead, thanks to goals from the greatest export from New Zealand since flight of the concourse, Liberato Kakache, and that mighty warrior, Oli Rathbone. in that locker room changing room at half time what was the mood and what did the manager say to take you out with for the start of the second half I think what was really important when we got in the changing room it was it was focus because we know how much threat London Forest have and it's like you can't get too ahead of yourselves and we knew that the game's not finished you know at 2-0 as it did they'd quite easily come back and yeah it was just focus there wasn't a celebration it was very very quiet and we had the manager speak to us and he said the same thing stay focused keep doing the right things we'll play really well I think we did second half yeah I was going to say the locker room the changing room may have been very quiet and maintaining focus the crowd at the Stoke Kairas were immense that night we talked about Millwall What impact do they have on the outcome of a game?

15:47Can you even hear them during a match? When the energy in the stadium is high, you can't hear anything. I feel like there's something special in the stadium when it's at its best. I just remember one thing from the game, you know, after the game, after the shootout, I remember I had an interview straight after and I honestly couldn't hear anything. It was that loud. I had to guess what they were saying to me I guess really well when I watched it back over I couldn't hear anything because that's that's the sort of atmosphere it is when it's when it's on fire it's like you literally can't hear yourself think which is just one thing about about Rexton that you just love and you know we only have 10 ,000 plus fans but you feel it you know I always tell people that come watch my games don't worry just wait and see how loud this place gets and i think it's really amazing what uh the fans are able to create it's quite the indictment of uh of all of our interviews that you could guess what questions were going to be asked how are you feeling what did you do how are you feeling now and you're just like i'm going to guess that's what's being asked i'm going to give the yeah i had to guess i couldn't hear a thing ai is going to replace all of us baby um second half honestly was quite a stressful watch It was like Marty Supreme levels of mania.

17:11Forrest got a goal back. Ten minutes later, the side of Dominic Iams' powerful Scottish head gave Rexham a 3-1 lead. But Forrest were relentless. As you said, there's a lot of power in that team. Substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice in 15 minutes, knotting the score at 3-3. How does that feel mentally? You were 2-0 up at halftime. you've been pegged you were so close to that promised land and then you've been pegged back mentally how does that feel for you? Oh it's disappointing it's like you know I feel like when we conceded the second goal you know you automatically feel the pressure because now they're in momentum you're going towards the end of the game now and it's it's really hard it's really hard when you concede that third goal but I think what we've done well we just kept playing our football we kept going We created many more chances after they scored their third goal in extra time.

18:09And that's all we could do because when you're playing against a team like that, it's really difficult to stop them. They have so much quality, they can score from anywhere. I think we've done that really well, just kept playing our football. Can I ask you, how do you draw a line under that? I mean, your response to that question was, it's disappointing. How as a goalkeeper have you learned to carry that disappointment and then immediately just wipe it out and then regain focus as you had to? I think the most important thing is just resetting. I think after every go I concede, I just try my best to reset.

18:44It's very difficult. I feel like it's an experience thing. You learn how to just start again and just let the past be the past. It's very easy to say, but I feel like every player has their own way of nullifying what's just happened and moving on to the next thing. Is it a trick, Arthur? Is it a strategy you use or do you just like genuinely try and hit a switch? For me personally, it's normally I touch the post, crossbar post and that's my reset button. That's what I normally do. Listeners in life, that is the secret in life when you're dealing with it. It's just post, crossbar, post, serenity now.

19:27But it gets more manic for you. 30 minutes of extra time. Game goes to penalties. And you've said you were already preparing for the possibility that it would get to a shootout. You spent, I believe, several days training specifically. You worked with teams analysts. You watched clips of Forrest's potential shooters. Can you talk about, in that moment, anticipating that situation, the preparation for the physical side of a penalty shootout? Or is it more mentally you are locking in to prepare for the pressure of that crucible? A penalty is always a gamble. you can watch as many videos and clips as you want the player can change his mind on the day in that moment I'm hoping I dive the right way and then depending on the height I feel like I can get there for me personally and just thankfully on that day I was able to dive right twice well I dived right actually four times but I got to two at a good height for me but yes it's always it's a toss of a coin sometimes it's too hard to predict and but the analyst really helped sending me sending me over the videos I needed for penalties and being able to watch that back and study how they take their pens the distance between run-ups and stuff like that you had that in your mind or was it on a water bottle on my water bottle it gives me advice on where to dive it's my choice to listen to that advice or not so that's where the toss of the coin is Do you read the kicker as they're running up or do you focus more on the analyst?

21:00Depends I think for me personally when they take a short run up or when they take a run up to watch the goalkeeper I just wait I wait till he hits the ball or if if I know they just strike the ball straight away, then it's okay, I need to pick a spot here and go. But then he could go and then they stop and then you're in trouble. You're already gone. Just don't panenka me, bro. Do you feel the pressures on you, the goalkeeper? In that moment, are you aware the pressure's all on the player taking the shot? I feel no pressure. I feel like, I've said this before, I feel like you as the player have the pressure to score against me.

21:50If you score, it doesn't really mean anything. If I save it, I'm a hero. So I think the pressure is always on the player to score the penalty. When that player walks in that long dead man walking trudge from the halfway line towards you, can you tell us what's going through your mind as they're approaching you? What do you think? What do you do? what are you telling yourself? I've already picked a spot in my head. But now it's me making sure my mind doesn't tell me to go the other way. I think you visualize them going the other way to where you go in that moment. And sometimes you visualize them going one way and you're so certain that you even visualize yourself saving it if you go that way.

22:40So it's a lot of mind games, not with the player, but with yourself sometimes, I think. So you're processing all of that. Does time slow down or does it speed up? I think time slows down in that moment. It's like, it's the longest, it feels like the longest time ever waiting for him to put the ball down, step back, waiting for the ref to blow his whistle, and then he's taking it. Even the run-up feels really slow. But one thing for sure is that ball doesn't move slow. I know that, definitely. Once he hits it, time resumes, I think. Back to his normal place, yeah. So it's like slow motion, slow motion, slow motion, then the referee blows a whistle and it's like, 100 miles an hour, yeah.

23:18Do you have a mental routine or are you trying to keep your mind blank? Oh, keep my mind blank. I don't think about anything other than wanting to save the ball. I feel like if you're thinking about too many things, you're going to lose your focus and you're going to need all of it to make the saves, I think. You did make saves. You saved two of Forrest's penalties. you got a hand on the third and guess which direction the ball was going to go on four of the five kicks which is incredible what's that down to the film you'd watch the tendencies you studied or was it ultimately a mixture and also your own instinct because it was like you could see the future watching you play these penalties Arthur that's how incredible it was yeah it was I think it was a mixture of everything on the second penalty it told me to go right I dived right and I saved it on the first penalty he told me to dive left I didn't save it and then on the on the third penalty not sure I think that was kind of Hudson-Odoi maybe I got close to it told me to dive left I was really close Nico Williams I've never seen him shoot a penalty low he shot low that day and then obviously on the fifth one he told me to dive right I'd dive left so Omari Hutchison Omari Hutchison which was funny because Callum Byrne, the other goalkeeper was just like, you know it told you to dive right I was like, well, good thing I didn't listen to it then because we wouldn't be in the situation we are now so yeah, you go and listen to it sometimes and not Do you speak to the other goalkeeper, just speak to the players in those moments or are you absolutely silent?

25:02Obviously when extra time finishes, you know you huddle up, you go you go in as a team and you receive your last bit of information before you take the penalties and for me you know everyone just gives me positivity no one is telling me go this way for this play or this way because I feel like that can be really it can be really it can be a bad thing sometimes giving me information like that beforehand I feel like it can confuse you So yeah, I was just really happy. No one tried to give me any information like that and I just was able to focus on doing my job. So just finish this off. Omari Hutchison steps up to the spot.

25:46Wrexham had made four of their penalties to Forestry. He's their fifth taker. Take us into that moment. Walk us through what you saw, what you heard, what you watched, what went down. I think Jay Rodriguez scored the fourth, which was good. And I knew it was the fifth penalty. I knew if I saved this penalty, we win. so now you know again the pressure is on me I don't think it's on me but as some people would say the pressure is on me to save the penalty to win us the game but in that moment I felt really calm Amari as a left footer the easiest finish for him is to my left that's what's in my mind and I know that in his mind he's probably thinking well I need to score this because if I don't score this we're going to lose so normally he goes to my right but I think he's going to go to my right and I change I change to the left and yeah I was just really happy I made that decision but you know I feel like the stadium was quiet before he'd taken it and then it's just like a sudden I don't know what to call it like just a sudden excitement for the fans and it got so loud so quickly and it's an unbelievable feeling when you make a save like that.

27:06You get goosebumps sort of thing. It's a goosebumps moment and I was just so happy. What did you feel in that moment? Because you said earlier, you know as a goalkeeper you can be the hero if you make that save. In that moment, you were very much the hero. You don't like to have this conversation with me. It's not who you are at all. But it was wild to watch because you'd saved everything. You'd saved the day. You'd saved the club. you'd saved the the reju I mean you know I can be super hyperbolic in like in Greek Greek epic times they'd write poems and ballads about this moment and it will get wilder and wilder with with each retelling but watching you in that moment you seem so chill man yeah your teammates even had to push you towards the home supporters you're not wrong yeah they did um I don't know I feel like in that moment I'm not sure I just didn't you know like I said before I didn't feel the pressure.

28:00I feel like if you feel that pressure, you know, you'd go celebrate and like you'd go mad sort of thing. You know, you just won, you won a big game. But I didn't, like I said, I didn't feel that pressure. So it was, it's hard to celebrate when you don't feel that pressure. It was funny having my own teammates pushing me into the fans, but that did feel really good, actually. Maybe I need to celebrate more and they pushed me into the fans and we all celebrated together, which was a nice moment. You are such a reluctant hero, Arthur. I mean, even in their post-game interviews, We now know you couldn't hear the questions, which might explain it, but you seem to play everything down.

28:35There's a humility in you that's rare in human beings, especially rare in footballers. Where does it come from, Arthur? I'd say definitely mum and dad. If you know my parents, you know why I am the way I am. And that's one of the most important things we had in our house growing up. And I'd say my brother's the same.

29:01Both quite humble. Not that we try to be, I think it's just who we are. And it's just the way I was brought up as a kid.

29:12I know this is painful, so I don't want to belabor the point for you. But you once told me that when you make a great save, you don't feel the need to celebrate. Because, I mean, it's like Mario Balotelli used to say about scoring goals for him. does the postman celebrate when he drops the mail through the mailbox? He said it's just his job. And I know you have a somewhat similar approach and you also told me what you really do get pleasure from. Yeah, definitely. Well, I can't remember a save I've celebrated this season. I wouldn't go so far to say I'm just doing my job, but I think Balotelli, he can hold on to that one.

29:50but I feel like in some ways celebrating is over the top for me I just want to refocus and move on to the next situation I think if I was going to celebrate after the save it would be like a last minute save or a moment where I can lay it all out because there's nothing else to focus on saying that and then celebrate after the penalty save but yeah I've just never been someone to celebrate after saves I feel like to some degree it's just me having fun and just doing what I love to do. Tell us what you really get pleasure from, Arthur. What I get pleasure most from is reactions of attackers who try to score and I've made the save.

30:34That gives me the most pleasure. I don't need anything else, I don't think, in football. I think it's on par with winning a game for me to have that reaction. I feel like that's why I've always wanted to be a goalkeeper and that's where it's all started from the beginning. And that feeling, I don't think, will ever get old. Feeding off other people's disappointment and frustration and the shattering of their hearts, that's for you like blood to a vampire. Yeah, you can say that, yeah. Phil Parkinson was very quick to call you both a colossus and a hero. And he said he wanted you, all of you, to, quote, soak up the feeling of achievement.