Anthony Barry could make Ireland return for Euro campaign

RETURN?: Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny with former coach Anthony Barry. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Anthony Barry could be set for a sensational return to the Ireland set-up as Stephen Kenny closes in on completing his backroom ticket for the Euro qualifiers starting in March.

Just under a year ago, Barry quit Ireland to take up an identical role with Belgium for the World Cup but his headhunter Roberto Martinez left the post immediately after their group stage elimination in Qatar.

Barry (36) continues to work on the first-team staff at Chelsea, Graham Potter being the third manager after Thomas Tuchel and Frank Lampard he’s operated alongside since joining from Wigan Athletic in 2020.

However, due to him being at a loose end when it comes to his international commitments, a comeback to the Irish fray is under consideration.

Barry’s influence was credited as a significant trigger to the team’s resurrection in the second half of 2021, a run of just one defeat in nine matches as third place in the World Cup qualifying group table was salvaged.

His penchant for perfecting set-plays, especially corners, was widely embraced by the players and led to goals against Portugal, Azerbaijan and both games against Qatar.

Failing to capitalise on corners had plagued Ireland since Daryl Murphy scored from one away to Serbia in 2016 and Barry was at the forefront of improving that aspect.

Throw-ins were another drill he specialised in.

Barry became the first-ever graduate of the English FA’s Uefa Pro License course to have his dissertation published as an academic journal.

“The Undervalued set-piece: Analysis of Throw-ins” was the end product of watching and studying each and every one of the 17,000 throws of the 2018 Premier League season to establish patterns.

“Whatever the level of the player, they respond to clear and precise detail,” Barry told the Telegraph last November on the eve of the World Cup.

“Players respect seeing things from a different point of view when they know it can help.

“The modern way is to show players the details with video clips – where and how we want them to move, where they are going right and where it could have been better. That’s the big feedback loop of the modern coach.

“There are screens all over every elite training ground – whether it is iPads or even in the Belgium camp now, where we have them all over the canteen.

“We can take a player to the screen and show them a clip. If not there, you play out scenarios on the training pitch. We are all about building solutions. The evolution of coaching is about finding the next level of detail to impact on performance.” 

FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill confirmed at the weekend that Kenny is planning to have an unnamed choice in-situ for the upcoming campaign.

Ireland have a friendly against lowly Latvia on March 23 before the qualifiers kick off against the might of France four days later, both at Aviva Stadium.

They travel to Greece on June 16, hopefully acclimatised by a warm-weather camp, and the series concludes in November against the Dutch, also away from home.

Accomplishing the target of a direct path to Germany by snatching one of the top two spots looks daunting but Ireland should have the fallback of entry into a four-nation playoff series in March 2024.

Kenny will be praying for some stability within his staff over this tilt, most certainly his last campaign in charge unless qualification is secured.

Damien Duff began the current reign as the star-studded No 3 beside Kenny and his loyal assistant from his U21 portfolio, Keith Andrews, only to become disillusioned and walk away eight months later.

Duff’s former Ireland teammate Lee Carsley was approached to fill the breach but Barry was the subsequent shock recruit; his credentials approved by Ruaidhrí Higgins, Kenny’s then chief scout and fellow apprentice at Coventry City.

He lasted a year till the world’s top-ranked team at the time came calling and another tempting offer curtailed his successor John Eustace to just 14 weeks and two international windows.

Eustace accepted his first league managerial position at his hometown club Birmingham City in the Championship, where they currently sit 19th of 24 teams.

Stephen Rice, who replaced Higgins when he left for Derry City, has been acting as stand-in coach during camps but luring Barry into a return would signal a major coup for the difficult road ahead.

Contact is believed to have occurred, with an answer due shortly.