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A decade ago, Anthony Barry featured for Accrington Stanley. Currently, he's dedicated supporting the head coach secure World Cup glory in 2026. His path from the pitch to the sidelines started with a voluntary role coaching youngsters. He recalls, “It was in the evenings, third of a pitch, asked to do 11 v 11 … flat balls, not enough bibs,” and it captivated him. He realized his calling.

Metoric Climb

His advancement stands out. Starting as Paul Cook’s assistant, he built a name with creative training and excellent people skills. His stints with teams included top European clubs, while also serving in roles with national teams with the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, and Portugal. He's coached big names such as world-class talents. Today, as part of Team England, it’s full-time, the peak according to him.

“Dreams are the starting point … However, I hold that obsession can move mountains. You envision the goal then you break it down: ‘How can we achieve it, day-by-day, step-by-step?’ We dream about winning the World Cup. But dreams won’t get it done. We have to build a structured plan that allows us for optimal success.”

Detail-Oriented Approach

Obsession, particularly on fine points, is central to his philosophy. Putting in long hours all the time, he and Tuchel challenge limits. Their strategies feature psychological profiling, a strategy for high temperatures for the World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico, and fostering teamwork. Barry emphasizes the national team spirit and avoids language including "pause".

“It's not time off or a pause,” Barry notes. “We had to build something where players are eager to join and where they're challenged that going back is a relief.”

Driven Leaders

Barry describes himself along with the manager as “very greedy”. “We want to dominate every aspect of the game,” he states. “We strive to own every metre of the pitch and that's our focus most of our time to. It’s our job to not only anticipate with developments but to surpass them and set new standards. It's an ongoing effort with a mindset of solving issues. And to clarify complicated matters.

“We have 50 days with the players before the World Cup finals. We have to play an intricate approach that gives us a tactical advantage and we must clarify it in that period. We need to progress from concept to details to understanding to action.

“To build a methodology for effective use during the limited time, it's crucial to employ all the time available from when we started. In the time we don’t have the players, we need to foster connections among them. We must dedicate moments in calls with players, observing them live, feel them, touch them. If we limit ourselves to that time, it's impossible.”

Upcoming Matches

The coach is focusing ahead of the concluding matches in the qualifying campaign – facing Serbia at home and in Albania. England have guaranteed their place at the finals by winning all six games without conceding a goal. Yet, no let-up is planned; quite the opposite. Now is the moment to reinforce the team’s identity, for further momentum.

“The manager and I agree that our playing approach ought to embody everything that is good of English football,” Barry says. “The fitness, the flexibility, the robustness, the work ethic. The Three Lions kit needs to be highly competitive yet easy to carry. It should feel like a cape and not body armour.

“For it to feel easy, we have to give them an approach that enables them to play freely similar to weekly matches, that connects with them and allows them to take the handbrake off. They need to reduce hesitation and more in doing.

“You can gain psychological edges you can get as a coach in attack and defense – building from the defense, closing down early. However, in midfield of the pitch, those 24 metres, we feel the game has become stuck, especially in England's top flight. Everybody has so much information now. They understand tactics – mid-blocks, deep blocks. We are focusing to increase tempo across those 24 metres.”

Passion for Progress

The coach's thirst to get better is all-consuming. During his education for the Uefa pro licence, he felt anxious about the presentation, as his cohort featured big names like Lampard and Carrick. So, to build his skill set, he sought out tough situations imaginable to practise giving them. One was HMP Walton locally, where he also took inmates during an exercise.

He earned his license in 2020 at the top of the class, and his dissertation – The Undervalued Set Piece, in which he examined thousands of throw-ins – was published. Frank was one of those impressed and he hired Barry on to his staff at Stamford Bridge. When Lampard was sacked, it spoke volumes that Chelsea removed most of his staff except Barry.

His replacement with the club was Tuchel, and shortly after, they secured European glory. After Tuchel's exit, Barry stayed on with Potter. However, when Tuchel returned with Bayern, he got Barry out of Chelsea to work together again. The FA view them as a partnership similar to Southgate and Holland.

“Thomas is unique {in terms of personality and methodology|in character and approach|