Damien Duff: Anthony Barry would be an amazing appointment for Ireland
TIME TO RISE AGAIN: Damien Duff admits Anthony Barry would be an “amazing” appointment if the FAI succeeds in luring him into his first managerial role. Pic Credit: Ryan Byrne, Inpho.
Damien Duff admits Anthony Barry would be an “amazing” appointment if the FAI succeeds in luring him into his first managerial role.
There’s been no specific date supplied by the association despite them promising an early April unveiling when last month installing John O’Shea as interim boss.
Like the centurion who stood in for the friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland last month, Barry has never managed a team, selected a side nor held a press conference.
His reputation as a coach has been carved from support roles for bosses at Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
Roberto Martinez also brought the set-piece specialist with him from Belgium to Portugal and they have the Euros to participate in this summer.
Barry is due to depart Bayern with Thomas Tuchel next month in a move announced after they drifted from the Bundesliga title race.
Tuchel dismissed the prospect of losing Barry shortly after the Ireland vacancy arose in late November while the club itself denied in January they had been approached by the FAI for permission to negotiate with Barry.
By that stage, FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill had claimed himself and director of football Marc Canham had spoken to all their various candidates.
Lee Carsley topped that list and though contact remained after their initial meeting in December he didn’t feel the terms or timing were right to depart his reigning Euro U21 champions England.
Sources close to Gus Poyet then reported he’d rejected the offer of a four-year deal. He managed Greece during last month’s playoff final against opponents Georgia managed by another contender, Willy Sagnol.
Poyet’s contract expired following their penalty shootout defeat and he appears to be assessing his options after what was widely viewed as a solid tenure managing the Greeks.
Duff, another centurion, shied away from an FAI approach, adamant the indirect contact was merely a box-ticking exercise. In February, with the hunt dragging out, he branded the episode as embarrassing.
He’s led Shelbourne to the top of the table after the first series of matches and is indifferent to the international team he once lorded over.
Still, like the general public, he just wants to see an outcome to the saga.
"It's had enough airtime for me,” he said about the long wait.
“I don't have any view and that's not me copping out. I just heard Anthony Barry’s name and that sounds amazing, I'd love to see him work.
“He looks an amazing coach, a proper fella, so if it’s Anthony, then great and I wish him luck. If it is John [O'Shea] great too. I wish him luck.
"But, here, outside of that, roll on the women's international against England. You'd say the women are on a par with it I couldn’t wait to watch that game tonight.
“The League of Ireland is the shining light of Irish football.”
He added: "You probably think it's a contradiction but I hate having needless conversations.
"I am sure all of you (media) have had needless conversations - it just wastes your energy. It's a waste of pens and paper; just wastes a good League of Ireland story for some crap.
"So, that would really sum it up because there is nothing to talk about with them."
To Duff, of more importance is Friday’s meeting with Bohemians at a sold-out Tolka Park.
“If I manipulate them my way, whatever, over 25/30 games we're not a bad team,” he said of a run that dates back to the latter end of the 2023 season.
“Surprised is the wrong word. When we get three points, it’s the best thing in the world.
“Our form has been going on for a while and it's important we carry it on into round two of the fixtures but - touch wood - it is in round three and round four that counts."
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