FOr turning to a foreigner again means that the Football Association tacitly admits that something is wrong with its local product, which is at least positive.
Those who studied alongside Anthony Barry on the FA Pro License course will not be surprised that Tuchel asked him to be No 2. Barry graduated with high marks and his dissertation, an underrated collector's item for which he and his co-authors analyzed 16,380 throw-ins, drew attention. Frank Lampard, who shared a classroom with Liverpool, was impressed enough to be asked to join their backroom staff at Chelsea in 2020.
Although Lampard won't last long as head coach, he is a smart appointment. Others at Chelsea praised Barry's skill, his eye for detail in defense and set pieces in attack, and this continued when Duchel was appointed in January 2021.
And so began an important relationship for Tuchel in his Chelsea luxury. The German paid tribute to Barry's coaching, crediting him as a key influence in the club winning the Champions League. Barry's work can be seen in the brilliance of Chelsea's defence. Thiago Silva, the Brazilian centre-back, has not been very impressed with his work. Chelsea soon responded to inquiries from Football League clubs interested in appointing Barry as their manager; They realized he was destined for the top.
Tuchel saw talent. Released by Chelsea in September 2022, he soon moved to Bayern Munich and asked Barry to join him. Together they won the Bundesliga title and their bond grew stronger. Part of that is Barry's role. People associate with him. “It's impossible not to date him,” a source says of the 38-year-old.
Interpersonal skills are essential in this environment. Barry, like Tuchel, had a remarkable playing career. The former midfielder came through the ranks at Everton playing alongside Wayne Rooney and spent most of his time in the lower leagues. The training came naturally. Initially, the bug stung Barry. He is dedicated to his craft. He is like Tuchel: a pure coach.
Respect is earned. Barry will not be dazzled by the star names of the English dressing room. He has worked with the best at Chelsea and Bayern, where he met Harry Kane. He has benefited from combining club duties with gaining experience in international football. His first contact with the Republic of Ireland came and his ambition was underlined when he left them to join Roberto Martínez's Belgium.
The opportunity to coach Belgium at the 2022 World Cup was too good to turn down. Although the tournament did not go well (elimination from the group stage was a shame), Barry's reputation survived. Martínez soon asked his assistant to follow him to Portugal. Do you think there are too many egos in England's attack? Barry has worked with Cristiano Ronaldo and has nothing 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, “and I am very happy to have him by my side. He is above English, energy, quality and a wonderful coach. He has extensive experience in international football, having been assistant coach of Portugal, Ireland and Belgium. I think it's already helped me a lot to get a sense of what we're talking about here, to better understand the timeline and the nomination process when negotiations begin.
After newsletter promotion
Barry has a thirst for knowledge. He talks about German techniques from Tuchel and Spanish techniques from Martínez. He could bring valuable perspective to England. The most important thing for the FA is that it will bring a unique flavor to the system. Tuchel is an Anglophile, but Barry will inevitably have a better understanding of the English mentality. Helps in human management in a bad and difficult environment.
The main work takes place on the training ground. After all the talk of coaching careers based on the merits of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, Barry is the first choice. He is very ambitious and is expected to one day become a coach, and if the ultimate goal is internal promotion, could Tuchel's successor already be close?
