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A decade ago, Anthony Barry was playing in League Two. Today, he's dedicated to assist Thomas Tuchel win the World Cup in 2026. The road from player to coach started through volunteering 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

Barry's progression stands out. Commencing as Paul Cook’s assistant, he developed a reputation through unique exercises and strong interpersonal abilities. His stints with teams led him to Chelsea and Bayern Munich, and he held roles with national teams with the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, and Portugal. He's coached stars like Thiago Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Cristiano Ronaldo. Now, with England, it's all-consuming, the top as he describes it.

“All begins with a vision … But I’m a believer that dedication shifts obstacles. You have the dream but then you bring it down: ‘What's the process, day-by-day, step-by-step?’ We aim for World Cup victory. But dreams won’t get it done. We must create a systematic approach so we can to have the best chance.”

Focus on Minutiae

Dedication, focusing on tiny aspects, defines Barry’s story. Putting in long hours all the time, the coaching duo challenge limits. The approach involve mental assessments, a strategy for high temperatures ahead of the tournament in North America, and creating a unified squad. Barry emphasizes “Team England” and rejects terms including "pause".

“You’re not coming here for a holiday or a pause,” he explains. “It was vital to establish a setup that the players want to be part of and they're pushed that it’s a breather.”

Driven Leaders

The assistant coach says and Tuchel as highly ambitious. “We aim to control every aspect of the game,” he declares. “We strive to own the entire field and that’s what we spend most of our time to. Our responsibility not just to keep up with developments but to beat them and set new standards. It’s a constant process focused on finding solutions. And it’s to make the complex clear.

“There are 50 days with the players ahead of the tournament. We have to play an intricate approach that gives us a tactical advantage and we have to make it so clear during that time. We need to progress from concept to details to understanding to action.

“To build a methodology that allows us to be productive during the limited time, we must utilize the entire 500 days we'll have since we took the job. When the squad is away, we need to foster connections among them. We have to spend time in calls with players, we have to see them in stadiums, feel them, touch them. If we limit ourselves to that time, it's impossible.”

Final Qualifiers

The coach is focusing on the last two of World Cup qualifiers – facing Serbia at home and Albania in Tirana. England have guaranteed qualification by winning all six games with perfect defensive records. Yet, no let-up is planned; instead. Now is the moment to build on the team's style, for further momentum.

“Thomas and I are both pretty clear that our playing approach ought to embody all the positives from the top division,” Barry says. “The athleticism, the adaptability, the strength, the work ethic. The national team shirt needs to be highly competitive yet easy to carry. It should feel like a cape instead of heavy armour.

“To ensure it's effortless, it's crucial to offer a style that allows them to move and run similar to weekly matches, that feels natural and encourages attacking play. They should overthink less and increase execution.

“There are morale boosts for managers in attack and defense – starting moves deep, closing down early. But in the middle area of the pitch, those 24 metres, we believe play has stagnated, particularly in the Premier League. All teams are well-prepared currently. They know how to set up – defensive shapes. We are focusing to speed up play across those 24 metres.”

Passion for Progress

Barry’s hunger to get better knows no bounds. When he studied for his pro license, he had concerns over the speaking requirement, since his group featured big names such as Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick. To enhance his abilities, he entered tough situations available to him to practise giving them. Including a prison in Liverpool, and he trained detainees for a training session.

He completed the course with top honors, with his thesis – about dead-ball situations, where he studied numerous set-plays – became a published work. Lampard was among those won over and he brought Barry to his team at Chelsea. When Frank was fired, it was telling that the club got rid of virtually all of his coaches except Barry.

The next manager with the club took over, and shortly after, they claimed the Champions League. When Tuchel was dismissed, Barry remained under Graham Potter. But when Tuchel re-emerged at Munich, he recruited Barry of Chelsea and back alongside him. The FA view them as a partnership similar to Southgate and Holland.

“I haven't encountered anyone like him {in terms of personality and methodology|in character and approach|