FIn other words, turning to foreigners again is just the Football Association’s acknowledgment that there is something wrong with its domestic production line. At least the positive thing is that the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England head coach means that one of the sharpest young English coaches will start to work within the national system.
Those who studied with Anthony Barry on the FA Professional License course will not be surprised that Tuchel invited him to become his number two. Underrated Set Pieces》 16,380 throw-ins, eye-catching. Frank Lampard, who shared a classroom with the Scouser, was so impressed that he invited him to join Chelsea’s backroom staff in 2020.
It’s a wise appointment, although Lampard won’t be the manager for long. Others at Chelsea admired Barry’s talent and attention to detail in defending and attacking set-pieces, and when Tuchel was appointed in January 2021, he stayed on.
Thus began a relationship that would be crucial to Tuchel’s rise to prominence at Chelsea. The German attaches great importance to Barry’s coaching and believes that he had a major impact on the club winning the Champions League. Barry’s work can be seen in the outstanding performance of Chelsea’s defence. He wasn’t intimidated by the prospect of teaming up with Brazilian centre-back Thiago Silva. Chelsea soon received inquiries from Football League clubs interested in appointing Barry as manager; they sensed he was destined for the top.
Tuchel saw his talent. In September 2022, he was fired by Chelsea and soon joined Bayern Munich and invited Barry to join. They won the Bundesliga title together and their relationship grew even stronger. Part of that is Barry’s character. People got along well with him. “It’s impossible not to get along with him,” one source said of the 38-year-old.
In this environment, interpersonal communication skills are crucial. Barry, like Tuchel, had an unremarkable playing career. The former midfielder came through Everton, where he played alongside Wayne Rooney, and spent most of his time in the lower leagues. Coaching was a natural choice. The bug bit Barry early. He devoted himself entirely to his career. He is like Tuchel: a pure coach.
It earns respect. Barry will not be dazzled by the names of stars in the England dressing room. He worked with the best players at Chelsea and Bayern, where he met Harry Kane. He also benefits from combining club duties with international experience. His first try came with the Republic of Ireland and his ambition was highlighted when he left Ireland for Roberto Martinez’s Belgium.
The opportunity to coach Belgium in the 2022 World Cup was too good to turn down. Although the tournament didn’t go well – exiting the group stage was a shame – Bari’s reputation was preserved. Martinez soon asked his assistant to follow him to Portugal. Think England are too conceited in attack? Barry has worked with Cristiano Ronaldo – not that he has anything bad to say about the striker. He was impressed by Ronaldo’s enduring professionalism.
“We are now working together for the third time,” Tuchel said of Barry on Wednesday. “I am happy to have him by my side. He is the best of the English, full of energy, high quality and a great coach. “He has a lot of experience in international football, having been an assistant coach in Portugal, Ireland and Belgium. I think that has helped me a lot in giving me a better understanding of the schedule, the nomination process and when the talks started.” Find out what we’re talking about here.
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Barry possesses a thirst for knowledge. He talked about learning German techniques from Tuchel and Spanish techniques from Martinez. He could bring valuable perspective to England. Crucially for the FA, he will bring a local flavor to the squad. Tuchel is an Anglophile, but Barry must have a better understanding of the British mentality. This may help with people management in a notoriously difficult environment.
However, the main work is still on the training ground. After all the talk about the coaching path, the virtues of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, Barry is the one closest to the top. He’s ambitious and expected to become a head coach one day – if the ultimate goal is to promote from within, is Tuchel’s successor already in front of us?
