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A decade ago, the England assistant coach featured in League Two. Today, he is focused supporting the England manager claim the World Cup trophy in 2026. His journey from athlete to trainer began through volunteering with the youth team. He recalls, “It was in the evenings, third of a pitch, asked to do 11 v 11 … flat balls, not enough bibs,” and he was hooked. He discovered his purpose.

Metoric Climb

Barry's progression has been remarkable. Starting as Paul Cook’s assistant, he built a reputation through unique exercises and excellent people skills. His roles at clubs led him to top European clubs, while also serving in coaching jobs abroad with the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, and Portugal. He has worked with legends including Thiago Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Cristiano Ronaldo. Currently, in the England setup, he's fully immersed, the peak in his words.

“Dreams are the starting point … Yet I'm convinced that dedication shifts obstacles. You dream big then you break it down: ‘How do we do it, each day, each phase?’ We dream about winning the World Cup. But dreams won’t get it done. It's essential to develop a systematic approach that allows us to maximize our opportunities.”

Obsession with Details

Dedication, focusing on tiny aspects, defines Barry’s story. Putting in long hours all the time, he and Tuchel test boundaries. The approach involve mental assessments, a strategy for high temperatures for the finals abroad, and fostering teamwork. He stresses the national team spirit and avoids language like “international break”.

“This isn't a vacation or a break,” Barry notes. “It was vital to establish a setup that the players want to be part of and, secondly, they feel so stretched that going back is a relief.”

Ambitious Trainers

The assistant coach says and the head coach as highly ambitious. “Our goal is to master every aspect of the game,” Barry affirms. “We want to conquer the whole ground and that's our focus long hours toward. Our responsibility not only to stay ahead of changes but to surpass them and innovate. It's an ongoing effort to have this problem/solution-finding mentality. And to simplify complexity.

“We get 50 days alongside the squad ahead of the tournament. We have to play a sophisticated style that gives us a tactical advantage and explain it thoroughly in our 50 days with them. It's about moving it from thought to data to know-how to performance.

“To build a methodology for effective use in the 50 days, it's crucial to employ all the time available after our appointment. In the time we don’t have the players, we have to build relationships with them. We have to spend time on the phone with them, observing them live, feel them, touch them. Relying only on those 50 days, we won't succeed.”

Final Qualifiers

Barry is preparing for the final pair of World Cup qualifiers – facing Serbia at home and away to Albania. The team has secured their place at the finals by winning all six games without conceding a goal. But there will be no easing off; quite the opposite. This is the time to strengthen the squad's character, for further momentum.

“We are both certain that the style of play should represent all the positives about the Premier League,” Barry explains. “The athleticism, the adaptability, the physicality, the honesty. The Three Lions kit should be harder than ever to get but light to wear. It ought to be like a superhero's cape not protective gear.

“To make it light, we need to provide a style that allows them to play freely as they do in club games, that resonates with them and allows them to take the handbrake off. They should overthink less and more in doing.

“There are emotional wins available to trainers in the first and final thirds – playing out from the back, pressing from the front. But in the middle area in that part of the ground, it seems football is static, particularly in the Premier League. Coaches have extensive data these days. They understand tactics – structured defenses. Our aim is to increase tempo in that central area.”

Drive for Growth

The coach's thirst to get better is relentless. While training for the top coaching badge, he had concerns about the presentation, especially as his class featured big names such as Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick. So, to build his skill set, he went into tough situations he could find to practise giving them. Including a prison in Liverpool, where he also took inmates in a football drill.

He completed the course in 2020 at the top of the class, with his thesis – The Undervalued Set Piece, where he studied 16,154 throw-ins – got into print. Lampard was among those convinced and he brought Barry on to his staff with the Blues. When Frank was fired, it said plenty that Chelsea removed nearly all assistants while keeping Barry.

Lampard’s successor at Stamford Bridge was Tuchel, and shortly after, he and Barry won the Champions League. When he was let go, Barry stayed on with Potter. Once Tuchel resurfaced in Germany, he got Barry out of Chelsea and back alongside him. English football's governing body see them as a double act similar to Southgate and Holland.

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